


A Lonely Tale - An Undertale AU

by TSVigne



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Female Chara (Undertale), Female Frisk
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-19
Updated: 2018-10-16
Packaged: 2019-04-04 21:06:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 22
Words: 43,319
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14028732
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TSVigne/pseuds/TSVigne
Summary: Chara has been isolated in the small garden of golden flowers since her death. Everything changes when she meets the human, Frisk, but would she have been better off alone? Would the Underground have been better off without Frisk? And is the surface a place worth returning to?An Undertale AU that I don't really know what to call or if it's already a thing since there are literally all the AUs ever.  And also my first fanfic ever. English is my first language but it's also the one I'm worst at so apologies if the writing is bland. At least it's spell checked.





	1. Chapter 1

How long had she been trapped here among these golden flowers? The isolation did not bother her anymore, or so she told herself. She floated along, counting the flowers, their petals, and anything else she could see. Thoughts of the past crept into her mind. Pain and regret. Mistakes. Images flashed before her eyes. She gripped her green and yellow sweater tightly and shook her head. As she felt her eyes begin to water she heard the flowers behind her rustle. The girl quickly spun around towards the source of the noise. Laying in the golden petals was a human. She cautiously approached despite the certainty that she could not be seen. The other humans definitely could not see her.

 

“ _ She is a mess...is she dead? _ ” the girl thought to herself.

 

The humans blue and purple sweater had seen better days and any exposed skin was covered with bandages. Dark brown shoulder length hair obscured the humans face with thick messy curls. A raspy breath from the human startled the girl. Against better judgement, she reached a hand to the humans shoulder. Expecting to simply phase through, she was shocked to find that she was met with resistance. The moment her hand made contact she felt a surge of energy course through her body and blur her vision for a few moments. Her hand jerked back and she drifted a few paces backwards. The humans eyes fluttered as she started to wake up.

 

“H-hello?” the girl was not sure if her voice would be heard. “Can you hear me?”

 

She watched the human slowly roll over and sit up, exhaling sharply when she twisted her body.

 

“Hey! Can you hear me? My name is Chara!”

 

Chara was not sure if she was being ignored and it made her angry. She floated over to the girl and grabbed her shoulder, somewhat relieved when she could still touch her. The human girl turned to face her and tried to speak, provoking another raspy breath. She reached a hand to her bandaged throat, scowling deeply.

 

“ _ Where am I…? _ ” the human girl thought to herself.

 

“Did you just say something?” Chara placed a hand on her head in confusion.

 

“ _ You can hear my thoughts? _ ”

 

“I...I guess so,” Chara thought back to the shock she received when she touch the girls shoulder. “What is your name?”

 

“ _...Frisk. _ ”

 

“Frisk? What a strange name.”

 

Frisk brushed Chara's hand off her shoulder and turned to face the scene before her. Floating in front of her was what she could only assume was a spirit; a girl with short brown hair and piercing red eyes. She looked around them and took in the substantial bed of golden flowers in the middle of what appeared to be ruins. Frisk frowned and placed her hand on her forehead as she tried to remember how she ended up here. She was sure the fall would have killed her. But here she stood, not only alive but bandaged up. Frisk relaxed as she stopped frowning and turned back to this ghost called Chara.

 

“ _ Where are we? Some kind of ruins? _ ”

 

Chara stared at Frisk's passive features and scrunched her face into a scowl.

 

“How are you doing this?” Chara ran her hand through her hair. “In fact, how can you even see or hear me at all…?”

 

“ _...If you don’t know then we are out of luck. _ ” Frisk sighed and started to walk away. “ _ I guess it’ll be easier to just move on and find out for myself where I am. _ ”

 

“W-wait! Do not leave! I can tell you where you are!” Chara panicked at the notion of being left alone again. “You are in the Underground, where the monsters were sealed.”

 

If Frisk was even the least bit surprised or concerned her face did not show it. She looked at Chara through closed eyes and walked back into the light of the garden.

 

“ _ So the stories about Mt. Ebbot are true? _ ” She ran her fingers across the bandages around her neck while she thought. “ _ Is it dangerous here? _ ”

 

Chara struggled to answer for a moment. She had yet to see any humans come back after journeying through the ruins.

 

“I am not sure.”

 

Frisk looked around a bit before turning back to continue on. Chara floated after the human but stopped at the edge of the garden.

 

“ _Why are you stopping?_ _I can’t imagine you’d want to stay here by yourself after that outburst earlier._ ”

 

Chara's already rosy cheeks flushed a bit deeper as she shot a glare at the human. She grabbed at the sleeves of her sweater and slowly floated away from the boundaries of the golden flowers. Usually, she would start to fade away the farther she strayed from the garden but this time she seemed to be fine. Frisk remained as uninterested as ever and continued to walk into the ruins, forcing Chara to pick up her pace in order to catch up.

 

After a few moments of walking, Frisk stopped and tilted her head. Chara floated over and followed Frisk's gaze to a single golden flower. With a face. It introduced itself as Flowey the Flower and started to ramble on. While Chara found the flower to be strangely familiar, Frisk was simply annoyed. That is, until she was hit by the first ‘Friendliness Pellet’. It grazed her cheek and left a burning sensation across her skin. She relaxed her stance and reached for the back of her waist before a sudden flash of fire blasted the flower away. A goat-like woman in flowing robes stepped forward and reached a hand out towards Frisk. Her name was Toriel.

 

A variety of emotions welled up in Chara as she immediately recognized the monster. Any hope she had was quickly shattered as it became apparent that Toriel could not see her. Frisk had refused to take Toriel's hand and followed her warily through the ruin and its various puzzle traps. The goat monster gave instructions for Frisk to wait where she was while she attended to some errands.

 

“Well, that was exciting…” Chara yawned as she stretched and floated a circle around Frisk. “Why do we not explore the rui--”

 

Frisk stood with a dark expression on her face.

 

“Frisk…?”

 

The human girl walked forward while keeping her hand near her waist. Chara clicked her tongue as she quickly chased after Frisk. After floating through some puzzles, Chara caught up to Frisk and watched as she solved the various puzzles.

 

“Will you stop leaving me behind without saying anything? It is pretty anno--”

 

“ _ Ssh. There’s something here. _ ”

 

Chara stopped and looked around. She could see nothing at first, but then a group of monsters surrounded Frisk.

 

“I think those monsters were called...Froggits?”

 

Frisk crouched down a bit, relaxing her body and assessing the situation. Chara hovered silently above, not sure what to do. Suddenly, one of the Froggits leapt at Frisk, attempting to knock her off her feet. The motion was so quick that Chara missed it. Pulling something from her belt, Frisk lashed out at the first Froggit before rolling and charging at the second. After two quick strikes, Frisk threw the object at the last Froggit. Dust filled the air as the Froggits disintegrated. Chara was stunned, her body freezing as Frisk calmly walked through the remains of the monsters and picked up a serrated knife. She wiped it on her shorts before replacing it in its holster under her sweater. The same impassive expression on her face as usual.

 

“Frisk...what did you…” the words stuck in her throat.

  
“ _ Let’s get going… _ ”


	2. Chapter 2

Toriel had returned and invited Frisk into her home. Frisk sat on the bed she had been taken to and scanned her surroundings. Chara had not said a word since the encounter with the Froggits. The bed was comfortable but Frisk did not even entertain the thought of sleeping. Her fingers once again brushed across her throat. It was starting to become a habit, but Frisk's thoughts were preoccupied by her current situation. Toriel was hiding something and Frisk did not like it. Chara also seemed to be hiding something but Frisk was not sure if it was just the shock of what she had seen. Frisk could feel the fear in her stomach. The connection between herself and Chara apparently transmitted more than thoughts. This reaction from Chara did not surprise Frisk, though. She had seen this before with others. Nothing had changed. The house shaking brought Frisk out of her thoughts and caused Chara to finally speak.

 

“What was that?!”

 

Frisk stood up and rushed out of the room. She ran down the hallway to the staircase that Toriel had warned her to stay away from.

 

“ _I knew she was hiding something…!!_ ”

 

“Frisk wait for me!” Chara called from the room as she followed after.

 

Frisk descended the staircase and ran down the hallway until it opened into a new room. A huge door stood at the end of the room as Toriel hurled a fireball. Rocks and debris from the ceiling and walls rained down. She was trying to seal the ruins. Toriel turned to Frisk with a sad look in her eyes and told her that this was for her own good. She was trying to keep Frisk trapped down here forever. Chara could feel a dark emotion bubble up in her chest. She clasped the front of her sweater and gasped. Her eyes turned to Frisk who had reached under the back of her sweater and pulled something out. The human pulled a weird cylinder from her pocket and started to screw it onto the thing while keeping it out of Toriel's sight. Frisk calmly walked towards Toriel as the goat monster attempted to convince Frisk to go back to her room where it was safe. The darkness in Chara's chest started to boil.

 

“F...Frisk…”

 

Frisk turned back to Chara, a calm and emotionless expression on her face. But then, what was this feeling in Chara's soul? She knew what was coming. She recognized the shape of that new object, even if it was different than what she remembered. She knew what it could do. And she could do nothing to stop it.

 

“Frisk...please...do not--”

 

A muffled shot pierced the growing tension. Chara watched in horror as Toriel dropped to her knees, grasping at her chest. She choked back tears as Frisk fired another shot through the goat monsters head. The human girl picked up the two spent casings, pocketing them as she check the magazine on her pistol. She turned back to see Chara with tears running down her face. The swelling darkness in the ghost girls chest instantly vanished, replaced by an emptiness almost equally as painful. Frisk put the silencer back in her pocket and holstered the pistol.

 

Frisk pushed open the doors to the ruins and was met with a bracing breeze. Trees lined the sides of the path as snow swirled through the air. She breathed in the crisp air and stood there staring up. She turned back to see Chara close behind. The ghost girl was completely silent. Frisk turned away and started down the path.

 

“Hey...what are your plans now?” Chara floated behind Frisk, her puffy eyes trying to get any information out of Frisk's expression.

 

Her voice cracked and she looked away from Frisk. Chara hated how Frisk’s face barely seemed to ever change, no matter what was happening or what they were doing. It was unnerving. Unnatural.

 

“ _You should be honest,_ ” Frisk kept walking down the path. “ _If you have something to say, say it..._ ”

 

Her voice was calm and even in Chara's mind which did nothing to quelch the growing anxiety building in her chest.

 

“I just wanted to know what you planned to do! I do not need any of your concern…”

 

“ _I see._ ”

 

The two girls reached a bridge that was blocked by bars in some makeshift gate. However, there was too much space between the bars to actually prevent progress so Frisk did not plan to stop.

 

“don’t you know how to greet a new pal? turn around and shake my hand.”

 

Frisk turn around abruptly and stepped back. She eyed the skeleton monster, concerned that it took her by surprise so easily. The human girl thought about drawing a weapon, but her instincts screamed that she would have a bad time if she did. She gingerly took the offered hand. The sound of a whoopee cushion filled the air around them. Chara's face went slack and her mouth dropped open a bit as the sound fluttered to an end. Frisk did not even blink.

 

“uh, that’s your cue to laugh.” The skeletal comedian chuckled nervously, “well, everyone has their own sense of humor I gue--”

 

The whoopee cushion fell to the ground causing Frisk's hand to meet his. His left eye flared to life with blue and yellow smoke. He quickly backed away and stared at the human as fragmented memories flooded his mind. Frisk frowned slightly at this erratic change of behavior and got ready for a fight. Chara watched from above, not sure what was happening or what to do.

 

“heh, the name is sans. sans the skeleton.” His eye calmed down and he put his hand on the back of his skull. “you look like a human but something is different about you. what’s your name kid?”

 

Frisk simply stood there and stared at Sans. He was still nervous from earlier and this was not helping.

 

“...look. i don’t know what you are but my brother papyrus would really love to see a human.” Sans grinned a bit larger than usual, “you could say he’s **bone** crazy about them.”

 

Chara rolled her eyes and Frisk turned to walk away.

“wow, not a single funny- **bone** between the two of you, huh?” He shrugged and turned back towards the ruins. “well when you run into me and papyrus, try to **humerus**.”

 

“ _I think that comedian could see you, Chara._ ” Frisk never looked back as Sans walked away in the opposite direction.

 

“Y-yeah…” replied Chara as she was lost in thought. She was hoping that this Sans character would be able to put a stop to Frisk but the skeleton seemed unaware or uninterested in what had been happening until now. The two continued over the bridge as Chara grew more and more anxious.


	3. Chapter 3

Chara could feel her stomach twist as one by one the monsters and sentries were scattered to dust in the snow. The town of Snowdin was silent when they arrived. Frisk and Chara entered the inn and rested in one of the rooms. The ghost girl floated around as Frisk double checked her gear. For the first time, Chara was able to fully assess the weapons Frisk had been using to dispatch the various monsters that had attacked her. Two serrated knives and a pistol. The strange cylinder that Frisk would attach to the pistol was a mystery to her but it made the gun quieter. Chara was curious but too afraid to ask any questions. Frisk ejected the clip and did a quick count of her remaining ammo. Two more clips, ten rounds each; four rounds left in the current clip. The human girl had managed to defend herself with the knives as much as possible. She put everything away except for the pistol. Frisk screwed the cylinder onto the end of the pistol and took a seat in the corner of the room facing the door. Curled up into a ball, but with gun in hand, Frisk relaxed and her breathing slowed.

 

“Are you really going to sleep like that, Frisk?” Chara floated over to the human. “Frisk?”

 

Receiving no reply, Chara resigned herself to floating around the room finding shapes in the bumpy texture of the ceiling. As much as she tried, Chara could not ignore the growing knot in her stomach. Even if it was self defense, the growing number of monster casualties was weighing on her conscious. Why were they so aggressive now? Why was her adoptive mother living alone in the ruins? Where was her father? What had happened in the time she has been stuck in that garden? The questions piled up as Chara tried to distract herself from the reality of the situation she was in. Her crimson eyes fell on Frisk, curled up in the corner. How could such a quiet looking girl be such an efficient killer? To Chara, it seemed that with each kill Frisk became more distant, more calculated, more ruthless. Setting aside her emotions has never been Chara's strong suit. She wore her heart on her sleeve. Frisk, on the other hand, seemed to be completely unaffected. At least on the outside. Chara was starting to understand the depths of the connection they now shared. The dark feeling in her soul whenever Frisk would fight, followed by the even more sinister emptiness afterwards.

 

“ _Let’s go, Chara._ ”

 

Startled, the ghost girl flipped awkwardly to face Frisk who was standing near the door.

 

“How long has it been?” Chara could not imagine it having been more than a few minutes since Frisk had went to sleep.

 

“ _Ten minutes._ ”

 

“Only ten?! Surely you need more sleep than that.”

 

“ _I’m fine._ ”

 

Chara frowned and shook her head as she followed after Frisk.

 

-    -    -

 

Chara could feel her anger swelling up in her chest. Frisk stood over the red scarf and chest armor in the snow. It could barely have been called a fight. Papyrus seemed to have no intention of really fighting. Once again, no change in expression could be seen on the humans face as she walked around the scarf and continued forward. Chara gripped the sleeve of her sweater and dashed in front of Frisk.

 

“Why…?” Chara fought back the urge to cry. “Why did you not take his offer of mercy?”

 

Frisk tried to walk around Chara.

 

“Do not ignore me!” Chara grabbed Frisk by the arm. “Why did you kill him for no reason?!”

 

Frisk slapped her hand away and Chara felt a rage that was not her own flare inside her soul.

 

“ _After everything that has happened so far, did you really believe he would spare me?_ ” Frisk clenched her fists before relaxing. “ _I don’t plan to let myself be lied to anymore. Not again._ ”

 

Chara tilted her head in confusion at that last line but before she could question Frisk further, the human had already begun to walk away. Chara's own rage was continuing to grow, her clenched fists tugging at her sweater. However, beyond her anger, a nagging concern poked at the back of her mind. A feeling she could not quite place. But it filled her with dread.

 

-    -    -

 

Nightmare. The only word Chara could think of to explain what was happening. Undyne, the strongest monster they had encountered yet, chased Frisk through the area known as Waterfall. Along the way, Monster Kid, a young monster surprisingly, had joined them. Frisk was getting tired of the cat and mouse game that had started. She knew that Undyne was near, somewhere, stalking their moves. The warrior had grown more cautious with her spear attacks since Monster Kid had shown up. This thought gave Frisk an idea but she knew Chara was not going to like it. Survival was more important, so Frisk steeled herself.

 

“Frisk...what the hell are you doing…?” Chara's red eyes were wide with horror.

 

The lethal end of the pistol in Frisk's hands was aimed directly at Monster Kid. The young monster had no idea what the object was and gave Frisk a quizzical look.

 

“Frisk! Put that thing away!” Chara was too scared to get close to Frisk in fear of the gun going off. “Why are you doing this?!”

 

Monster Kid slowly started to realized that the thing in Frisk's hand was dangerous and began to back away. Frisk stepped forward with each step back taken. And then a muted gunshot caused the young monster to freeze.

 

“FRISK!!” Chara screamed at the human, anger and fear in her voice.

 

The heavy clank of armor rang out as Undyne dropped to one knee. She had used her body to try and shield Monster Kid from the bullet. But it was in vain as Monster Kid turned to dust behind her. A pained grimace contorted Undynes face as she glare at Frisk with hatred in her eyes. Undyne could feel her own body starting to disintegrate, but there was no way she could let this demon get away alive. Not if she wanted to protect the Underground. To Frisk's surprise, Undyne stopped disintegrating and let out a burst of blinding energy. Chara clutched at her chest as the now familiar darkness filled her soul.

 

-    -    -

 

Frisk dropped to her hands and knees as sweat poured down her face. This was without doubt the hardest fight yet. Undyne refused to go down and took an entire clip before her body finally gave out. It was curious that Undyne melted instead of disintegrating but Frisk did not think too deeply on it. She tried to get back on her feet before she was shoved face down into the ground.

 

“WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!!” As Frisk tried to turn over, Chara climbed on top of her and grabbed the collar of her sweater. “WHY?! WHY DID YOU DO THAT?!”

 

Frisk refused to look at Chara which further enraged the ghost girl. She pulled on Frisk's sweater, shaking her violently. Tired from the battle with Undyne, Frisk struggled to stop Chara as a hand struck her in the face.

 

“ _Chara! St--_ ” Frisk took another hit across the face before throwing Chara to the side.

 

Chara growled as she continued to flail at Frisk, striking the human girl in the face and sides. One of those strikes landed on her ribs, causing Frisk to double over. The ghost girl continued to hit Frisk until a closed fist swung back and caught her in the jaw. This caused Chara to float away from Frisk, ready to dodge any additional attacks. But Frisk did nothing but lay on the ground, curled up in the fetal position.

 

“Frisk…?” the past moments were all starting to catch up with Chara.

 

A wet cough caused a cold chill to run down Chara's spine.

 

“Frisk?!” Chara rushed to the girls side.

 

“ _D-don’t touch me…_ ” the inside of Frisk's mouth was coated in blood, a small puddle forming on the ground.

 

“I-I am sorry! I did...I did not mean to…” Tears started to roll down Chara's face.

 

The fact that Frisk was covered in bandages had completely escaped Chara's mind. The human girl had seemed fine until now but was obviously not fully recovered from whatever injuries she had received. Frisk staggered to her feet, unsteady but determined to move onward.

 

“Frisk, you should rest!” Chara grabbed onto Frisk's sleeve.

 

The loud crack made by the hand across Chara's face reverberated through the surrounding area. She floated backwards, stunned. Frisk stared right into her soul, eyes open for the first time since Chara had met her. Brilliant blue eyes burning with anger. Chara was both entranced and terrified.

 

“ _I’ve tolerated you until now, but you’re going to need to make a choice._ ” Frisk turned her back on Chara. “ _You seem awfully fond of these monsters. Despite all their efforts to kill me and their apparent hate for humans._ ”

 

Chara grabbed at her sweater, images of a terrible mistake flashing through her mind. The guilt had been chipping away at her soul for decades. Frisk turned back and grabbed Chara by the collar, her blue eyes staring right into Chara's own crimson ones.

 

“ _You are either with me, or you are with them._ ” The complete lack of emotion in Frisk's voice sent another chill down Chara's spine. “ _If you continue to straddle the fence, I can’t guarantee I won’t make the decision for you._ ”

 

“I…” Chara could feel the tears pouring down her face again, the guilt stabbing at her chest.

 

She was always like this. Selfish. Her selfish plan is what caused the monsters to be this way, there was no doubt in Chara's mind. She did not like what Frisk was doing, or how she was doing it. But she was doing it to survive. What was Chara doing? Nothing. She was nothing but a bystander, judging the actions of others while doing nothing on her own. Chara made up her mind.

 

“I am...with you…”Chara stared at the ground, unable to meet Frisk's eyes.

 

“ _..._ ” Frisk placed her hands on Chara's face, wiping the tears from her eyes. “ _It’s only going to get harder from here._ ”

 

Chara looked up at Frisk, whose eyes were once again closed.

 

“ _There is no room for mercy when you are fighting to survive. No room to feel at all, really._ ” Frisk took a few steps away from Chara. “ _It’s only going to get worse._ ”

 

“I know…”

 

“ _Good._ ” Frisk walked onwards. “ _From the moment the monsters made their intentions clear, it was kill or be killed._ ”

 

-    -    -

 

Chara and Frisk stood at the entrance to what seemed to be a massive hall. After the fight with Undyne, Frisk had remained mostly unchallenged. The fight with the strange robot who called themself Mettaton NEO was terribly anticlimactic. Frisk had taken a few moments to rest before they arrived at the hall.

 

“Are you okay, Frisk?” Chara floated down closer to Frisk. “You have not slept very much.”

 

“ _I’m used to it._ ” Frisk quickly checked her remaining ammo.

 

“Used to it? What exactly did you do before you fell into the Underground?”

 

“ _..._ ” Frisk finished checking her equipment and started down the hall. “ _Nothing worth talking about._ ”

 

The human girl felt a dull ache in the back of her skull. It was easy enough to ignore and not something to be shared with Chara. The two girls made their way down the hallway to find a familiar face with an unfamiliar expression.

 

“heya.” Sans stood alone, a strained grin on his face. “you’ve been busy, huh?”

 

He looked out the window and sighed.

 

“so, i’ve got a question for ya.” Sans closed his eye sockets. “do you think even the worst person can change…? that everybody can be a good person, if they just try?”

 

Chara could feel her sins crawling on her back. Frisk stepped forward and pointed their pistol at Sans.

 

“heh heh heh heh...alright. well, here’s a better question.” the white lights of his eyes went dark. “do you wanna have a bad time?”

 

Frisk took another step forward; no fear, no hesitation, no remorse. Sans’ left eye burst to life as bones materialized around Frisk. Chara could barely register what was happening. It was over in an instant.

 

“F-Frisk?” Chara ran her hands through her hair, fear creeping on to her features, a terrible pain filling her tattered soul.

 

Frisk laid motionless on the ground, her blood pooling around her. She had barely started to move before the first bone impaled her thigh, the rest finishing her off shortly after. Sans stepped up and looked down on her. His left eye still flickering blue and yellow. Frisk rolled over onto her back, the action causing her to choke on the blood building in her mouth. The coughing fit stained her face red. The skeletons eye returned to normal as he crouched down. He had clearly over done it.

 

“why’d you do it, kid? all this death.” Sans' face was twisted into a grimace, anger in his voice, but Frisk's head fell to the side as the life drained from her.

 

Chara floated down, still shocked by how quickly the fight was over. Frisk laid dead on the floor. Conflicting emotions swelled within her, but the one thing she knew was that it changed nothing. Tears pooled in her eyes as she thought of Toriel and the other monsters. It was too late. Chara wiped her eyes with her sleeves only to see Sans staring right at her.

 

“a demon and a spirit, huh? quite the pair…” Sans went to grab Chara by the collar but his finger slipped right through.

 

“Y-you can see me?” Despite his inability to touch her, Chara still backed away. “And why are you trying to grab me?”

 

“because i want some answers.” the light of his eyes went out again and his deep voice had a damning bitterness to it.

 

“I do not know what is going on! I do not know who she was. I do not know why the monsters are so aggressive now!” Chara could not hold back the sobs and tears. “Asgore would never have allowed this to happen…”

 

“how do you know about the king?” Sans narrowed his eyes. “who are you?”

 

Before Chara could answer, her body started to pulse, phasing in and out of view.

 

“What is happening to me?!” Panic spread across her features, the pain in her soul tearing her apart from the inside. “H-hel--!”

 

Chara reached a hand towards Sans before blinking out of existence. Sans could only stand there, shocked and confused at the sudden turn of events. He reached into his blue jacket and pulled out a red scarf, sighing as he looked at the scarf and then to the bloody tiles. Bloody tiles?

 

“hey...hey! where the fuck are you, kid?!” Sans' eye ignited as he backed away and scanned the room.

 

Time began to slow, a strange sensation covered Sans' body. A million tiny pin pricks washed over his bones as he felt a tug at his soul that he could not resist. He dropped to one knee, gray tendrils seeping into his vision. But before he could black out, Sans found himself standing back in the hallway. Everything the same as before. Before the fight that is.

  
“...” Sans looked around him, noting the clean tiles. “seems i have a new **bone** to pick with those kids…”


	4. Chapter 4

Sans glared down Frisk as she walked up to him again. Chara had a look of confusion and fear on her face. The skeleton closed his eyes as memories of his past flowed through his mind.

 

_ this really is incredible…  _ He thought to himself.  _ he would have been fascina… _

 

He opened his eyes and scratched the back of his head. Try as he might, Sans could not remember or place the person he was thinking of. The memories came easily but with empty spots, like a puzzle with missing pieces. These fragmented memories had been returning ever since he shook Frisk's hand. He sighed and turned his attention back to the human. While this situation was unexpected, Sans had to admit that he was a bit happy. One death was not enough to make up for what this demon had done.

 

“heya--” Sans quickly teleported to the side as a bullet whizzed past his head.

 

Frisk appeared calm, on the surface. On the inside she was a mess. She was sure she had died. All the pain and the life draining from her body was still clear in her mind. Everything had happened so fast before that she was keen on getting a headstart. She continued to fire off rounds at Sans but he dodged with ease each time.

 

“you really need to learn some manners.” His eye lit up as he reached a bony hand out and clutched the air.

 

“ _!!! _ ” Frisk could feel her body lift into the air, a strange blue glow surrounding her.

 

The sound Frisk's body made as she hit the tiles made Chara nauseated. She watched Frisk struggle to lift herself off the floor before bones sprang from the ground, impaling Frisk and killing her.

 

- 28 -

 

Sans' did not bother to keep track of how many times the kid had died. Twenty-eight, maybe? His eye sockets narrowed as he watched Frisk slowly walk back up to him. As usual, her face was impossible to read. It was starting to piss him off. But not nearly as much as her soul. Sans could use his eye to judge those around him of their sins, the number of lives and crimes they had committed being permanently etched into their souls. He should have checked Frisk from the moment they met, the oversight making him sick to his stomach. Sans could not imagine the human child being any older than fourteen, maybe fifteen. And yet, the death count left in her wake extended far before her time in the Underground. Sans clenched his teeth and took his hand out of his pocket.

 

“heya. why don’t you just call it quits?” He smiled and rolled his shoulder, “all this movin’ around is makin’ me tired. really workin’ myself to the  **bone** .”

 

Frisk just stood there, gun in one hand, knife in the other. Sans' small grin turned into a bitter smirk. He was expecting at least an eye roll. Her absolute lack of interest. Her lack of expression. Her lack of...life? It was all unbearable. It was one thing to have no sense of humor. It was another to have no sense of anything. Sans reached his hand out as his eye started to spark.

 

“welp, let’s get started then…”

 

Chara gripped her sweater tightly against her chest. She felt helpless as she watched Sans and Frisk fight. Time after time, Frisk would die and then return to the front of the hall. With no idea how this was happening, Chara was forced to wait and hope that this bloodbath would eventually end. She did not know what to feel towards Sans. His desire for revenge was understandable and she felt a bit sad for him since it appeared he would never get it. But the ghost girl found herself more and more drawn to Frisk. Unlike Sans, Chara could feel exactly what Frisk was going through. The fear had started as a small drop after her first death. Now, it was a raging storm inside of Chara's soul. Each time, however, once the fighting started the storm would pass. Not so much pass as Frisk would force it away, filling Chara with a cold sense of emptiness. Frisk was literally throwing away everything before each fight. Her fears, her emotions, everything. Chara wondered what Frisk was feeling from her end of their connection. Her own fear felt like nothing.

 

“ _...! _ ” Frisk stumbled a bit while taking a swing at Sans' with her knife.

 

“what? tired? tough break, kid.”

 

A white animal like skull materialized and fire a beam right into Frisk, punching a hole through her chest. She stumbled backwards and fell to the floor. As she laid there, dying, Frisk thought back on all her previous deaths. The pain was horrible. The fear was unbearable. The knowledge that she could not stop was the worst. But she would not show it. Showing that it hurt. Showing that she was scared. Showing it would just make it worse. He would hurt her more. Just like they did. She could show no weakness. She could bear it and push forward.

 

- 55 -

 

This was the worst fight yet. No, it was not even a fight. Chara could only watch as Sans started to lose control. He had asked Frisk again why she had killed everyone. And once again Frisk remained silent. Sans stood quietly, surrounded by his skull blasters, as he stared at the bloody and charred spot on the tiles. The rising smoke, cracked tiles, and blood stains were all that remained. His eyes went dark.

 

- 74 -

 

Frisk choked back her terror and clenched her teeth to hold back the tears. Sans had pinned her to one of the pillars in the hall, one bone through each of her limbs.

 

“answer me you little shit…” Sans leaned close to her face, practically spitting the words. “if i’m gonna be trapped here puttin’ you in the ground until the end of time then i figure i deserve some answers.”

 

“ _... _ ”

 

“I SAID ANSWER ME!!”

 

A bone burst through Frisk's left shoulder, obliterating the bone and joint. Chara turned away. Frisk made no sound or movement.

 

“remember when i said you were gonna have a bad time? if you don’t give me the answers i want then you’re gonna have the worst time of your life.” Sans grabbed her by the hair and stared into her face. “what sick fucking reason did you have to kill them? why did you need to kill ALL of them?! WHY DID YOU NEED TO KILL PAPYRUS?!?!”

 

Another bone burst through her right knee, practically severing the leg. Still, she did not flinch, somehow refusing to make even the small of noises.

 

“i’ll take you apart  **bone** by fucking  **bone** if i need to until you open that damned mouth of yours!”

 

One by one Sans summoned bones. Right shoulder. Left knee. Palms. Elbows. Feet. Anywhere he thought he could inflict pain and damage without killing her. But still, Frisk did not cry out or speak.

 

“YOU--!!” He slapped her across the face, the sudden jarring movement in her body sending renewed and intense pain throughout her body. Sans lifted his hand again.

 

“STOP!!!!”

 

His hand froze. Chara had dropped down between Sans and Frisk. He took a few steps back. Her face was a mess of tears and snot.

 

“move, kid.”

 

“No…”

 

“I SAID MOVE!!”

 

“I WILL NOT!!” More tears streamed down her face. “Y-you...you have done too much…”

 

“what? too much? heh...hahahah...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!” Sans' grabbed his sides as he let out a deep belly laugh. “after all this bitch has done to the underground and this is too much?!”

 

“She...she might have killed people but she never tortured them!!” Chara turned to Frisk trying to cradle the girls head while supporting her weight. “DO YOU EVEN SEE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?!”

 

Sans raised an eyebrow as he looked at the pillar and felt his grin shrink. Frisk hung from the pillar, her arms and legs mangled, her whole body shaking. The pool of blood at the base of the pillar rippled with every new drop. She was still breathing but it came in short, ragged, wet hiccups. Sans backed away, hands on his head. She had not made a sound. Not once.

 

“i...i…” Sans looked to Chara who was still trying to hold Frisk up. “i didn’t mean...she didn’t…”

 

Tears formed in his eyes. He looked down at his hands and the blood coating them. Sans forced back a gag. Papyrus flashed through his mind. His knees hit the floor as he fought the urge to vomit. A familiar tingle swept across his bones as he found himself standing in the pristine hall.


	5. Chapter 5

Everything had changed. Sans waited in his usual spot in the hall, expecting the human and ghost to arrive. Only they did not. He stood there for several minutes before letting out a shaky sigh. Sweat dripped down his forehead as he pulled his hands out of his pockets and wiped them on black shorts. He crouched down and stared at the tiles. The previous moments were still clear in his mind, even if all the evidence was now gone. He had lost control, turned into some kind of...monster. No, not a monster. A monster would never have been able to do what he had done. Only a demon could.

 

“heh. what would paps have thought if he saw me then…” His eyes go dark. “it prolly would have been a  **bone** -ified shock, heh”

 

He chuckled a bit but there was no humor behind it. He had let his anger take hold and had done something arguably worse than outright murder. Bony fingers pinched the bridge of his ‘nose’. What were they even doing anymore?

 

Chara did not know what to do. She was starting to despise how useless she was. The reset had happened but Frisk refused to move. Frozen in place, she simply stood there. Shaking. Chara drifted closer to the girl, examining her face. Nothing was different. And yet, everything was different. Her features were the same as usual. The epitome of neutral. But her body language was a different story. Frisk was shaking all over, one hand gripping her shorts while the other gripped the pistol. Her breathing was fast and uneven.

 

“Frisk? Are you okay?” Chara did not think the girl could be shaken by anything. At least until the recent reset. “Frisk, say something.”

 

Frisk jumped at the sound of her name. She slowly turned to Chara and then back down the hall where Sans would be. All the suffering she had just endured flooded back into her mind. All the fear. Frisk brought her free hand to her mouth. She turned and ran towards the corner of the hall across from where they entered.

 

“Frisk?!” Chara spun and rushed after the girl but stopped when she saw what was wrong, “F-Frisk…”

 

Frisk rested her forehead against the cool stone of the wall as she felt the urge build back up again. A small pile of clear vomit at her feet, a different fluid dripping down her legs. All the terror and agony from her previous deaths washed over her. She vomited until nothing but dry heaves came. Frisk wiped her mouth with her sleeve and slowly turned to Chara.

 

“ _ S...sorry… _ ” Frisk felt tears coming but held them in.

 

Chara did not know how to respond. She had never seen Frisk like this. Right now, the human was so...vulnerable. Frail. Even though she did not let her face show it, Frisk was afraid. Chara could feel it. More conflicting emotions welled up inside Chara. She hated Frisk for killing the monsters. She felt guilty because it was not entirely Frisk's fault. She felt fear at whatever force was pushing Frisk down this terrible route. That terrible darkness that would bubble up every so often. Frisk had a vacant look. Her previous death kept repeating in her mind. She looked down at the gun in her hand, still shaking. And then she lifted the pistol to her head.

 

“FRISK NO!”

- 81 -

 

Seven times. She killed herself seven times. Chara had no idea what was happening anymore. Was Frisk giving up? Trying to end this endless loop of death? If so, why was she coming back? Does she not have a choice? Dark circles had started to form under Frisk's eyes. She seemed exhausted.

 

“Frisk…”

 

“ _... _ ”

 

“Frisk?”

 

“ _... _ ”

 

“Frisk!”

 

“ _...I’m sorry… _ ”

 

She apologized again. Chara scowled at Frisk, “You do not need to apologize to me...you should rest…”

 

“ _...I can’t… _ ”

 

“What?”   
  


“ _ I need to finish this… _ ”

 

“Frisk, you can barely stand! He has not shown any sign of leaving his spot so take this time to gain your strength back.”

 

“ _... _ ”

 

“Frisk?”

 

Without a word, Frisk proceeded down the hall. Chara was about the reach for her shoulder when the familiar darkness started to bubble up in her soul. This time it was stronger than it had ever been before. Frisk had stopped for a brief moment to look back at Chara, who was now clutching her chest in pain, struggling to breath. Chara's eyes went wide with horror as Frisk simply held up a single finger to her smiling lips.

 

Sans shifted uncomfortably. From what he could tell, several resets occurred before the human even showed up. He tried not to think too hard on how that would happen or what it meant. Frisk stood quietly before him, knife in hand. Sans put on his best grimace.

 

“heya.”

 

- 99 -

 

Sans struggled to maintain his composure. This was without doubt the longest fight yet and his limits were being pushed. While he definitely had the advantage in short bursts of combat, this marathon of death was giving him a cramp. Frisk had become faster, her attacks sharp and precise. He got lucky and managed to clip Frisk with his blaster, finisher her off with his bones. Once the humans body disappeared he dropped his hands to his knees and let out a loud gasp. His whole body shook from deep breaths. Sans looked up to see Chara giving him a worried look before she herself vanished and every reset.

 

Chara was terrified. The fights were getting closer. Frisk was getting closer. And it was exciting. She was excited at the prospect of Frisk overcoming Sans. Of becoming more powerful. Memories of the power that he had obtained so long ago sprang forward in her mind. The potential. If he had only listened to her they could have freed the monsters. They could have become a god. A smile spread across her face, but it quickly vanished when she came to her senses. This darkness inside her, inside Frisk, was dragging her down into the madness. The feeling was growing more intense.

 

- 100 -

 

Frisk stood silently before Sans, gun and knife in hands. Sans let out a sigh and closed his eyes as he waited for her to make the first move. All this bloodshed was wearing him down, physically and mentally. While she did not let it show on her face, Sans could tell that the demon girl was even worse off than he was. The dark circles under her eyes were terribly apparent now. Her already pale skin was now bone white. Sans' ever present grin strained. His thoughts turned once again to his still unanswered question. Why? Why was she doing this? He opened his eyes and brought his focus back to Frisk. Whatever her reasons, she was still in for a bad time.

 

Chara's thoughts kept going back to that time. All the choices made. The mistakes made. This was another mistake. She watched in silence as Frisk stepped forward. The awkward uncoordinated charge made at Sans surprised all three of them. Slow, clumsy swings of the knife followed by wild shots from the gun were easily dodged by the skeleton as Chara looked on with concern in here eyes. The metallic clang of the knife and gun hitting the tiled floor brought the fight to a close. If one could call what had just occurred a fight. Frisk dropped to her hands and knees, her breathing heavy and ragged. Sweat dripped from her face, forming a small puddle on the floor. Chara dropped down to Frisk to check on her.

 

“Frisk, you are burning up…” Chara whispered.

 

“ _ Weak… _ ”

 

“What?” Chara could barely hear the words even in her mind.

 

“ _...the weak….the strong… _ ”

 

Chara placed a hand on Frisk's back when a sudden flood of emotion filled her soul. What was this feeling? Her whole body went cold. The ghost girl did not believe anyone could experience emotions as strong as these. Sorrow. Suffering. Hatred. Anger. All emotions she was very familiar with but never had she ever experienced them with such intensity. Images flashed across her mind, too fast for her to comprehend beyond quick glimpses of Frisk.

 

_ Her memories…?  _ Chara stared at the shaking figure in her arms. “Frisk?”

 

“ _ I’m too weak...only the strong prevail. The weak perish, consumed by the strong. I’m too weak...don’t deserve to live…Weak. Weak. Weak. Pathetic. Pathetic. Pathetic. _ ”

 

An endless string of words poured over her mind as Chara struggled to keep up. Unconsciously hugging Frisk close, Chara squeezed her eyes shut as her head was filled to capacity with words and images. Until there was nothing. She opened her eyes to see Sans standing over them.

 

“you’re lookin’ pretty awful, like something has really rattled your  **bones** .” Sans looked down on the human and ghost. “she finally ready to call it quits and stay down?”

 

Frisk stopped shaking and slowly lifted her head. The next instant was a blur to both Sans and Chara. He could feel his own sins crawling on his back as he felt a pressure he had never experienced before in his life. Bones quickly impaled Frisk from below, causing Chara to scream. Sans stumbled back as he fell on his rear end. The light gone from his own eyes, he could have sworn he saw a glow from the humans.

 

But that is impossible...right?


	6. Chapter 6

Chara was still reeling from the previous events despite once again floating near the entrance to the hall as another reset had triggered. That insane pressure right before the reset nearly caused her to black out, or at least something similar. She was actually not sure what would have happened if she was forced to lose consciousness since that consciousness was all that she had left. Her eyes drifted nervously to Frisk who was standing near her. And then she was gone.

 

“Wha--” Chara snapped around as she looked for Frisk. “Frisk?!”

 

Chara rushed down the hall to see Frisk once again standing before Sans. She wondered if the expression on her face was the same as the one Sans was showing. The dark orbs of his eye sockets furrowed into a scowl, his left eye sparked to life.

 

“heh. that’s quite the fancy new trick you’ve learned.” He strained his grin as he fought the rising dread in his chest. He was just now noticing the subtle changes to Frisk's soul as he focused, “kinda strikes a bit too close to home for my tastes though.”

 

Sans was completely unprepared for the second teleport, despite it being one of his favorite ways to travel. Two crystalline eyes stared into his, the sparkling purple reflecting his shocked features. Frisk stood there inches from the skeleton, eyes wide open as she stared down Sans with a grin almost as wide as his. His own eyes went dark as the same severe pressure filled the hall. He quickly teleported away and summoned one of his blasters, firing one huge, sustained burst. A direct hit. Or so he thought.

 

“by the stars…”

 

Chara's own red eyes grew wide at this sudden new development. Before her stood Frisk, safe behind what appeared to be a pair of giant hands with holes in the palms. The purple glow from Frisk's eyes burned fiercely as she dropped her weapons and raised her own hands. Sans readied himself for her next move, but nothing could prepare him for what happened next. The human girl, with her new shit eating grin, snapped her fingers, aiming faux guns at Sans with a wink.

 

“what the fu--”

 

In that instant, the two giant hands took the same shape of finger guns and unleashed a rapid fire barrage of magic bullets. Sans quickly brought up a wall of bones as he teleported from side to side. He found refuge behind one of the many pillars in the hall. He summoned four blasters and braced himself. The four blasters unleashed powerful beams of magic towards Frisk. She held her hands in front of her as she summon two more to block the blasts. The dark spots in the palms of the hands seemed to endlessly absorb the magic. The hands glowed with power as they then redirected the contained energy back at Sans'.

 

The two traded blows and attacks, neither able to make any leeway. Chara thought she could almost hear her blood pumping in her ears. She watched as Frisk and Sans exchanged magical attacks. Bones and blasts filled the air as all manner of magic hands gestured their way across the hall. The ghost girl felt her fear and excitement build. She could feel the intensity through her connection to Frisk. The darkness in her soul had been replaced with a burning flame. The fight had turned into an all out brawl as magic attacks devastated the area.

 

“heh, you seem to be pretty  **hands** on all of a sudden,” Sans closed his right eye as he scratched the back of his head. “it’s been a real  **eye** opener.”

 

**Heehee! I’m surprised you can still make puns, comedian!**

 

Sans stopped in his tracks at this new...voice? He could hear words but the human was not speaking. His eyes fell on her hands.

 

**You can understand me, I hope?** Frisk tilted her head to the side as her hands moved in elegant patterns,  **Communicating like this is more work than I thought. I guess I still need to practice. Or I guess I’m out of practice? Whichever.**

 

“you...where did you learn that…?”

 

**Why? Familiar to you? You wouldn’t be able to remember anyway.**

 

“won’t throw me even a tiny  **bone** ? haven’t answered a single one of my questions, you brat.”

 

**Heeheehee!**

 

Sans' grin twitched as he watched the small hands move. This way of communicating seemed so familiar to him. Not only because he could understand but also because of reasons that continued to elude him. Everything about the way this girl was fighting was familiar to Sans. Her power, those magic hands. More flashes of incomplete memories flickered across his mind. Chara, on the other hand, knew exactly where she recognized those hand movements. She had seen them when her father would meet with his friend. The King and the Royal Scientist. Chara ran her fingers through her hair as she tried to understand how, when, and why Frisk was able to talk the same way a monster was able to. How did she get his power? When could she have gotten it if she had been with Chara since she fell into the Underground? Why would he give her his power? Did she take it? All these questions and more were swirling in her mind.

 

“well, i’ve gotta hand it to you kid, you’re really pressing all my buttons.” His left eye burned with renewed power. “but in the end, you’re the one who’s gotta deal with the bad time that you got coming.”

 

**I think I’m going to be fine.** Frisk held her arms forward, palms of her hands facing outwards.  **I don’t feel like letting Frisk die anymore.**

 

“ _ Not if I won’t stay dead… _ ” Chara felt chills down her spine as Frisk's thought leaked into her mind.

 

Frisk's eyes crackled with magic as she once again snapped her fingers guns forward, only this time six more hands appeared. The eight hand cannons unleashed a rain of magic bullets on Sans as he was forced to push his teleport ability to its limits. Her tiny hands went flat as she made wide swiping motions. Four of the magic hands followed suit and came at Sans as a series of sharp chops. He summoned bones to pin the hands to the ground while he tried to ready his own blasters to take out the artillery. Sans ducked behind a pillar, getting ready to make his move when a blur of movement caught his eye. A giant fist blindsided him, knocking him into the wall. The skeleton crumpled to the floor, gasping for air.

 

_ not good...i can’t take another hit like that… _ His eyes wandered to the scattering of broken bones he summoned to disperse most of the force.

 

**. . .**

 

Sans let out a dry chuckle as he looked up. Standing over him was Frisk, dozens of new magic hands spinning above her, many of them pointed at Sans.

 

“heh, i guess i gotta fold, seeing as i’ve been dealt such a poor  **hand** .” he closed his eyes. “think you could give me an answer before you dust me, given you bein’ able to talk an all…”

 

**Probably not, I don’t think Frisk can keep this up much longer so I’m not going to waste this chance.**

 

Sans opened one eye to the sight of Frisk wiping a large amount of blood from her nose. More blood dripping from her eyes like tears.

 

“gotta  **hand** it to you, you play the demon  **card** pretty da--guhh!!?” The serrated knife in his sternum sent bone chips falling to the floor. “...heh, fucking...ru...de…”

 

The skeleton closed his eyes and went limp. Chara had her hands over her mouth as her mind raced. Frisk stood still for a moment before turning to walk away. A death trap of bones burst from the ground under her feet, throwing tile dust and debris everywhere. The ghost girl jumped at the sudden explosion. Sans coughed blood onto his white shirt as his blue eye searched for the demon. From the smoke came a boot aimed straight at the handle of the knife, stamping the blade further into the skeletons chest.

 

“F-FUCK!!” The sound of scraping metal and cracking bone echoed with his outburst.

 

**Now who’s rude?** Frisk crouched down as Sans slumped onto his side, blood soaking his jacket and shirt.  **I’ll tell you one thing, since it seems don’t have much time now either.**

 

Sans glared at her as he struggled to breathe, blood staining his smiling teeth. Frisk leaned down until her lips brushed against the side of his skull and whispered to him. Chara, who had slowly been closing the distance between the two combatants and herself, was unable to hear anything. Frisk had her eyes closed once again while Sans managed to pull himself to his feet using the wall.

 

“heh heh heh heh...that’s rich...real fuckin’... **sin** cere…” He took a few steps, smearing his blood on the wall. “welp, me...and paps...have an appointment at...grillby’s...watch yourself...around that demon, kid…”

 

Tears formed in Chara's eyes as Sans took a few more steps before turning to dust. She quickly wiped them away as she turned to Frisk. The human looked horrible, to say the least. Their blue and purple sweater was covered in dust, blood smeared across the sleeves. Her eyes, now closed, were red and puffy along with the growing dark circles. Blood still dripped from her nose, which she quickly wiped away with her sleeves, spreading it on her face. Frisk slowly walked to the pile of dust and picked up the knife, wiping it on her shorts.

 

“ _...Let’s go. _ ”

 

Her voice was small and weak in Chara's mind. The ghost frowned but slowly followed along. The two girls passed through the doors at the end of the hall and continued onwards. Frisk placed her hands against a giant set of doors and put all of her weight into them. Taking several small breaks, she managed to slowly push the heavy doors open. Inside, a golden field of flowers surrounding a giant throne spread throughout the entire chamber. A sweet smell surrounded Frisk causing her to sneeze. Chara quickly covered her mouth to stifle back a laugh at the adorable sneeze she just heard. Any risk of laughter quickly vanished at the grisly sight of blood all over the hand Frisk used to cover her mouth.

 

“ _ It’s just leftover blood from my nosebleed… _ ” said Frisk as she wiped her hand on her shorts.

 

Chara cringed as she watched Frisk become more and more of a bloody mess. She wondered how a tiny girl could be so crude. If anything, she wondered how a quiet girl like this could do any of the things Chara had witnessed. She wanted to hate Frisk. They were a devil that rampaged and killed so many monsters. Why? Self defense. The logical side of her brain threw those words at her. Chara gripped her sweater tightly as she remembered how the monsters attacked on sight, how unrelenting some of them were. She thought back to the endless battles again Sans. She had no right to blame everything on her. Frisk was probably the only physical thing should could interact with. Fear and shame filled her soul as she thought back to being all alone in the ruins. She feared the solitude but felt shame for clinging to the hope that she would not be alone as long as Frisk was around. Chara's thoughts were interrupted by the movements of a large figure. Frisk stood unsteadily on her feet as she looked up at the towering monster. A deep, booming voice filled the room.

 

“You must be the one I was warned about.” The giant monster frowned as he took in the small human. “I cannot imagine that Sans would let someone such as yourself pass through the hall willingly.”

 

The goat monster threw back his cloak, revealing his shining armor and red trident. Chara's eyes went wide as Frisk slowly opened her own.

 

“I am Asgore, King of the Monsters. And you...you are the last soul needed to break the barrier.” Asgore closed his eyes as he let out a small sigh. “It was hard, but I did what I had to for my people. But now, I must give you my appreciation…”

 

He raised his trident, magic building around him. “You! Covered in blood and dust! Never before has it been so easy for me to justify taking a humans life! You have my thanks and MY FURY!!”

 

“Father, NO!” Chara reached out towards Frisk to stop her but it was too late. 

 

Two magic hands clapped down on the trident as Asgore swung with all his might. The clashing power sent shockwaves through the throne room, filling the air with golden petals. The force sent the much smaller Frisk flying back into the wall.

 

“That magic…” Asgore gripped his trident. “Where did a human such as yourself obtain a monsters magic?!”

 

**From an old friend who put his life on the line for the sake of your kingdom.**

 

The single instance of hesitation that these words caused was enough for Frisk to land the decisive blow.

 

“!!” Asgore dropped to one knee, stabbing his trident into the ground to keep him steady. “I...I know this magic…”

 

**You used to know this magic, once upon a time.**

 

The look of shock and clarity as Asgore stared into the purple glow of Frisk's eyes made it apparent he had remembered something.

 

“F-Father! Father it is me! Chara!” Chara rushed to Asgore, tears in her eyes. “Father can you see me? Can you hear me?! Please!”

 

She looked to Frisk with hate in her eyes. “Tell him! Tell him I’m here!”

 

At that moment, a white pellet struck Asgore in the back, sealing his fate.

 

“Father?!” Chara looked on in horror as Asgore let go of his trident, dropping to his hands. She could see Flowey in the shadows.

 

“C-Chara?” She faced the King. “Is it really you?”

 

“Yes! Yes, it is me! I am here!” She tried to hug him but her arms merely phased through his body. “Father…”

 

“Haha, this must truly be the end for me...but to see my beautiful daughter in my...last moments...is truly…”

 

Asgore’s body slowly turned to dust as he smiled brightly at his daughter, leaving only his soul. Chara reached out for her fathers soul when it was destroyed. Shattered by a ring of pellets. That strange flower from before sat rooted amidst the golden blossoms.

 

“YOU!!” Chara shot towards the flower, hands ready to rip it from the ground. However, she was ignored as her hands passed through the stem and petals of the deranged plant over and over. “YOU FOUL, MURDEROUS WEED!!”

 

The spirit crumpled into a ball and sobs wracked her body. All the stress and despair of this whole journey hit her at once. Her red eyes flared at the flower as it talked to Frisk. It was then that she noticed, instead of the talking flower, Frisk had her eyes on her. The plant grew increasingly frantic as it tried to appease the human girl. Those purple eyes were locked onto her own. Frisk pulled her knife out without breaking eye contact with Chara. The first swing of her knife was quick and clean. As was the next. And the next. And the next.

 

And the next.

 

Nothing was left of Flowey the Flower. Frisk still had her eyes on Chara as she walked to the crying ghost.

 

“What do you want?!” The words practically spat from her mouth.

 

Chara jumped as the knife was thrown blade first into the ground in front of her. Frisk had a strange look on her face.

 

“W-what? Is this supposed to be some sort of joke?” Chara waved her transparent hand through the handle of the knife.

 

Frisk closed her eyes and crouched in front of Chara. She grabbed her hand and placed the knife in it.

 

“How?” She gripped the knife with her ghostly hand. “Is it because you are holding my hand…?”

 

“ _ Maybe. _ ” Frisk grasped Chara's hand tightly, placing her free hand on her shoulder. “ _ And Chara… _ ”

 

“Huh…?” Chara felt the heat spread on her face as Frisk placed their lips near her ear.

  
“ _ Revenge is no joke. _ ”


	7. Chapter 7

“...Frisk…?”

 

Frisk's body fell to the side. Chara stood up, panic in her eyes.

 

“Frisk...you…” Her eyes fell to the growing pool of blood. “WHY?!”

 

“ _ Why, you ask? _ ”

 

Chara inhaled sharply as she stared up at Frisk who was standing above her, then to the knife stuck in the ground. Frisk kneeled once again, repeating her previous actions. She placed the knife in Chara's hand only to have it slapped away.

 

“STOP IT!” Chara backed away from Frisk. “What is wrong with you?!”

 

“ _ I don’t understand. _ ”

 

“What do you mean you do not understand? You...you just made me stab you...kill you!”

 

“ _ Isn’t that what you wanted? _ ”

 

“Wha--?”

 

“ _ I’m sure you noticed but we’re connected, Chara. I don’t know how but it probably explains why I’m able to talk to a ghost. _ ” The human slowly lowered themselves to the ground. “ _ To hear and touch you. _ ”

 

“A-and your point being?” Chara tried to ignore that last bit.

 

“ _ I can hear all of your thoughts; feel all of your emotions. That and you ‘wear your heart on your sleeve’ so to speak. _ ”

 

“You...you mean…?” The natural blush of her cheeks started to deepen. “This whole time…”

 

“ _ Yes. I’m surprised you thought you had me fooled. That look on your face when I killed that first monster… _ ”

 

Chara clenched her fists, “Then why? Why would you continue...continue killing all those…?”

 

“ _ Why wouldn’t I? _ ”

 

“What?”

 

“ _ Why wouldn’t I? I had just fallen into a strange place, no idea where I am. And then, my first encounter with a monster it tries to kill me. Even the one monster who tried to make me feel safe planned to keep me trapped in those ruins forever. _ ”

 

“Toriel…” The hate in Chara's red eyes was washed out by sorrow.

 

“ _ You shouldn’t trust… _ ” Frisk furrowed her brow, “ _ I can’t trust… _ ”

 

For a brief moment Chara felt something in her soul. Hatred. It was quick and potent, like a hot needle through her heart.

 

“ _ In any case, these monsters gave me no reason to trust them. To show them mercy. It was kill or be killed by their own choosing. _ ”

 

“But we should have tried...to talk...or…”

 

“ _ Would it have changed anything? Would it have mattered? There is no time to question your actions when it comes to war. _ ”

 

“War? This wasn’t--”

 

“ _ I don’t know what your connection to the monsters was but it is very clear that at some point they declared war. I’m not the first human to come down here. But I’m apparently the first to survive. _ ”

 

“...” Chara felt the tears start to fall again. She clenched her fists, bitter with herself that she could find no argument against Frisk's words.

 

“ _ You did nothing wrong… _ ”

 

“Frisk…”

 

“ _ I killed them. Because it’s the only thing I know how to do. _ ”

 

Chara looked at Frisk, sitting in the flowers, with pity in her eyes. Right now, the human looked exactly as she appeared; a small child. Tears streamed from her eyes and she scrunched her face to hold them back. Her shoulders shook as she held in the sobs. Chara was at a loss for what to do. She felt the sorrow seep into her own heart, mixing with the hatred. Her own hatred and sorrow paled in comparison to what she was feeling now. Memories of her terrible parents came to mind, her human parents. Chara hesitantly took a seat next to the crying girl and placed a hand on her head. Frisk tensed when she felt the hand but started to relax as Chara gently stroke her hair. Chara could not help but smile at her first real human contact in who knows how long.

 

“ _ Chara… _ ” Frisk turned and grabbed onto the arms of Chara sweater, “ _ Chara… _ ”

 

“Frisk?”

 

“ _ I’m sorry...I’m sorry...Chara… _ ” The human girl buried her face in Chara's chest. “ _ I...I… _ ”

 

All the emotions she had kept bottled up spilled out all at once. Chara felt her own tears start to fall as she stared into the distance. They were all alone now. Just the two of them. Everyone was gone or in hiding. She wanted to cry out for someone. Anyone. But she knew nobody would come. Her red eyes fell to the girl in her arms. Frisk's emotional outburst had died down to small sobs and hiccups. Chara continued to play with the girls hair. The feeling remind the ghost of her adopted brother. He was such a crybaby. Chara wiped her own tears as she turned Frisk to face her. The girl had gone quiet, her soft breaths catching Chara's attention.

 

“Sleeping now?” She sighed, pulling on a tuft of Frisk's hair. “You make it really difficult to be mad at you...let alone hate you. You are just like him…”

 

For the first time in a while, Chara had time to appraise Frisk. She was young, probably a year or two younger than herself. Well, physically perhaps. She realized that she had no idea how long it had been since she died. Toriel and Asgore were estranged, monsters had taken a powerful anti-human stance. Chara ran her hands through her hair as she bit her lip. Frisk was definitely a human, strange, but human. It was not until the fight with Sans that she displayed her magic abilities. She would have to talk more with her when she woke up. The dark circles under Frisk's eyes made Chara's growing frown even more prominent.

 

“When was the last time she had a full nights sleep…?” Chara thought back to their entire venture through the Underground.

 

She had seen Frisk take short naps from time to time but even those were few and far between. A stirring near her lap brought Chara's attention back to Frisk. The human rolled from her side onto her back as she brought her arms to her face.

 

“You do not sleep much.” Chara tried to hide any concern from her voice. “I figured you would be out for at least a few hours.”

 

“ _ I hate sleeping. _ ” She lowered her arms and sighed.

 

“You hate sleeping?” Chara pulled on another tuft of Frisk's hair. “What sort of nonsense is that?”

 

“ _ If I don’t sleep. I don’t get… _ ”

 

“You do not get...nightmares?” Chara was familiar with the onslaught of negative thoughts and bad dreams.

 

Frisk opened her eyes and looked up at Chara. She sat herself up slowly, discomfort painted on her face. Chara had forgotten about all the bandages the human had been wrapped in this whole time. She wanted to ask about it but decided there were more pressing matters to discuss.

 

“Frisk, who are you? And where did you get that magic?”

 

“ _ I don’t know where this magic came from. It’s more than a bit useful so I didn’t question them. _ ”

 

“Them?” Chara thought back to the fight with Sans, how Frisk kept referring to herself.

 

“ _ I’m not sure… _ ”

 

Chara sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

 

“Where to even begin…” Chara grabbed Frisk, turning the girl until she was facing her. “What you were using is magic. Something only monsters should be able to use.”

 

“ _ So...I’m a monster now? _ ”

 

“No. Well...maybe, I am really not sure...I do recognize the magic you were using.”

 

“ _ Recognize? _ ”

 

“Yes, magic is very unique among different types of monsters. Especially the magic you were using. It looked just like what the Royal Scientist used...I believe his name was...Gaster?”

 

“ _ Gaster…?! _ ”

 

A dull droning pain rolled through her head before turning into an inferno of sharp, searing blades tearing across her brain. It felt like thousands of tiny glass pieces were carving trails inside her head. All of these pieces met together to form a marble full of memories. The human girl clasped her head.

 

“Are you okay?” Chara noticed the pain on Frisk's face.

 

“ _ I...I think I met this Gaster… _ ”

 

“Really? When or rather how?”

 

“ _ Before I fell...or...as I was falling? _ ”

 

The look on Chara's face was all Frisk needed to know that she was unconvinced. Frisk rubbed her fingers across her throat as she thought. The memories were coming back but even then they were not much help.

 

“ _ After I fell, I blacked out. When I woke up I was in some place? It...it was hard to tell where I was...but there was a man there. I think it was a man. I couldn’t tell really. It felt like a dream but it was also...not? _ ” Frisk studied the look on Chara's face before continuing. “ _ The man started talking about a lot of things I didn’t understand before I woke up in the flowers. _ ”

 

“What kind of things did he talk about?”

 

“ _ Um...he said something about his failed experiments and how there were others before me that didn’t have what it took to do something. He never specified. Then he said he was giving me everything he had left. _ ”

 

“Failed experiments…? Anything else?”

 

“ _ His hands were really cold. _ ”

 

“Experiments, cold hands...that definitely sounds like Dr. Gaster…” Chara thought back to all the check ups she had with Dr. Gaster to make sure she was staying healthy in this strange environment. He would check her pulse with his fingers on her wrist and they felt like ice. “So for now we can assume you got your magic from Gaster.”

 

“ _ Okay… _ ”

 

“And now…” She looked around, taking in the silence. “I do not know what we do now…”

 

Frisk looked at Chara as the ghost girl sat deep in thought. Her straight, light brown hair cut evenly to right below her jawline. Her green sweater with the yellow stripe was untarnished. Chara should hate her. She hated herself. Frisk looked down to Chara's hands and slowly reached her own hand towards it.

 

**That’s enough of that.**

 

Chara's mind went blank as that unmistakable pressure returned. The air around her burned with magic and she immediately cast her eyes downward. She gripped her shorts as she slowly turned her eyes back upwards towards Frisk, until the human girl collapsed head first into her lap.

 

“Wha--Frisk?!” Chara grabbed Frisk and turned her over. If she had blood it would have turned to ice at what she saw.

 

Two blue eyes stared up at her, completely void of life. Chara shook the girl a few times but she laid limply in her lap. Panic set in as the thought of being alone again took hold of her.

 

**You’re not alone, Chara.**

 

Chara jumped at this new voice in her mind. She looked up at the source of this voice and was met with darkness.

 

-    -    -

 

Chara groaned as she strained to open her eyes. She force them open and scanned her surroundings. Nothing. There was nothing around her. A lump formed in her stomach as she struggled to move. The usual sensation of floating she normally felt was gone. It felt as if she was drifting along in some invisible stream.

 

**Welcome!**

 

“...Frisk?” Chara squinted her eyes as she tried to comprehend what she was looking at.

 

**What? No. Well...a little.**

 

Chara scowled at the nonsensical answer and asked a new question, “Who are you?”

 

**I’m Frisk. And also I am not Frisk. Let me give you a closer look.**

 

A girl, about Frisk's size and build stepped forward. A black sweater with blue stripes covered a white turtleneck. Black shorts and oversized boots completed the ensemble. The girl had the same messy hair as Frisk, except the color was a bright white. Finally, Chara's eyes landed on the girls face. Two empty black holes stared back into her own red eyes. What looked like cracks went up and down her face from her eyes, an unsettling smile spreading below them. The girl waved at Chara, revealing holes in the palms of her hands.

 

“What in the world…”

 

**Ah, you must still be confused. Well I guess this whole situation is pretty complicated.**

 

“Where is Frisk?”

 

**I put her to sleep while things reset.**

 

“Reset?”

 

**Yes, reset. But nothing like what you have currently experienced. I am resetting everything back to the beginning. To when Frisk first fell into the Underground.**

 

“What?! Is that even possible?”

 

**Of course it is. Why even doubt me after seeing Frisk die and come back well over a hundred times.**

 

Chara frowned but slowly nodded.

 

**Anyhoo, I am sure you have some questions...but first I am going to tell you all about what has happened since you died, who--er, what I am, and what your role will be moving forward.**

 

“My role?”

 

**I said questions at the end, young lady!** The creepy Frisk clone pouted.

 

“Well, do you at least have some name I can call you? I feel like calling you Frisk will just lead to problems.”

 

**Hmm, you aren’t wrong. Hmmmm, let’s see.** Not-Frisk tapped her chin thoughtfully, the spooky smile on their face growing spookier by the moment.  **I got it!**

 

“Well?”

 

**Heehee, you can call me Gasterisk!**


	8. Chapter 8

“G-Gaster...isk? Chara placed a hand on her forehead. “You cannot be serious…?”

 

**Why not? I think it describes me perfectly. Gaster plus Frisk equals Gasterisk!**

 

“Wait...Gaster plus Frisk?”

 

**Hey! I told you no questions! All will be explained in due time. Actually, it’ll all be explained right now.**

 

Gasterisk cracked her neck, making a spectacle of stretching her arms and shoulders.

 

**Let’s see. It was some time after you had died that Gaster, the former Royal Scientist, completed his work on the core. A truly huge event for the Underground!**

 

“Wait...former Royal Scientist?”

 

**Yes! I said no questions.** Gasterisk frowned.  **That yellow dinosaur that Frisk scared off is the new Royal Scientist.**

 

Chara thought back to Frisk’s battle with the flashy robot.

 

**After completing the core, Gaster was able to delve deeply into his research of human souls. Particularly their unique traits. He was especially interested in a specific trait.**

 

Chara nodded. She had heard her father and Gaster discussing the old legends and the method in which they could possibly break the seal.

 

**I won’t get into all the gritty details, but during his research he took on two bright, young assistants: Alphys, the yellow one, and Sans, the one that thinks he’s funny.**

 

“That comedian was a scientist?!”

 

**Ha! Right? I can barely believe it myself. Anyhoo, they conducted experiments and did some questionable things. All of which ended in failures. Many, many failures. Gaster threw himself into his work, heart and soul. Sweat and tears!**

 

Gasterisk gestured dramatically as she wiped a fake tear from her hollow eye.

 

**Gaster believed he was close to a breakthrough, something that would change everything! Free the monsters! But his hubris was his undoing. A catastrophic miscalculation led to an accident of epic proportions! I’m honestly a bit fuzzy on some of the details but in short, Gaster broke.**

 

“He...broke?”

 

**Yes! his very existence was shattered across space and time and stuff! More than dying, W.D. Gaster ceased to exist. No! In fact, he never existed. You probably didn’t have much time to strike up casual conversation while everyone was being killed. But if you had, you’d find that no one remembers Gaster. Well, for the most part that is.**

 

Chara almost asked another question but decided against it.

 

**I believe the King remembered Gaster, in his final moments. That comedian of a skeleton was probably starting to get bits and pieces. People who shared a strong connection with Gaster can recall the moments they shared with him. The King and Gaster survived the war together, so the King was able to remember Gaster. Sans spent time with Gaster during their research, but I doubt he has been able to remember Gaster himself. Maybe the moments and places but not Gaster.**

 

“But...how could they just forget?”

 

**How hard is it to forget something that never existed? In this reality, Gaster was a thing that never did. How can you remember something you’ve never experienced? That is the magnitude of his failure. He wiped himself from reality! All of them in fact, if his own theory is to be trusted.**

 

“This...this is too much…”

 

**You’re telling me! However, it gets better. The crafty old dude managed to maintain a small grip on his own existence. Though pieces of him were scattered across all the things, he managed to gather enough of himself to stabilize. He could barely, maybe, possibly exist in the teensiest of existences in our reality. Sometimes. But for the rest of the time, and the most part, he is an eternal prisoner of the void. Or was.**

 

“The void? What is that?”

 

**Man, my no question rule doesn’t seem to be very effective. The void is the empty space between realities. The fluff and puff where nothing and everything always is and wasn’t. It’s where we are right now in fact. It’s also where Frisk met Gaster.**

 

“I see. And what did you mean when you said that Gaster ‘used’ to be a prisoner?”

 

**Exactly how it sounds. He used to be a prisoner and now he isn’t. He is gone and now is me. You mean you don’t recognize this handsome face and these spooky hand holes?**

 

“...So...when you called yourself Gasterisk…”

 

**Yes! I am everything that was left of W.D. Gaster combined with the strongest trait of the soul of the human, Frisk! I guess you could call me Frisk's...subconscious? No. Alter ego? Twinsie?**

 

“So...Gaster still exists then...just as you?”

 

**Not quite. I am sad to say that there isn’t much left of Gasters personality. If there was I don’t think he would have let Frisk kill so many monsters.**

 

“And you were okay with it?”

 

**Of course. Gaster made another huge miscalculation when he gave Frisk his magic.** The smile on Gasterisk’s face turned into a bitter grimace.  **He had no idea just how broken this girl is.**

 

“What do you mean by that?”

 

**Hmm, I don’t think that’s my story to tell. But let me tell you, Frisk has one instinct that controls her every action. Survival, no matter the cost.** A delighted, yet creepy smile returned to her face.  **You might not be able to understand it, but where Frisk came from it was truly kill or be killed.**

 

Chara felt a lump form in her throat as she took in the terrible smile.

 

**Gaster probably would have been equal parts astounded and terrified at my existence. A being born from two powers that should never have been mixed. Fancy.**

 

“And what is it that you plan to do?”

 

**Hm? I don’t know.**

 

“What?”

 

**What? I don’t know means I don’t know! I don’t really care to be honest. My only reason to exist is to keep Frisk alive, no matter what. Alive and relatively happy. And for that, I’ll probably need your help.**

 

“My help?”

 

**Yes! If you haven’t noticed, Frisk's body can’t quite cope with the powerful magic of a boss monster. I gave her the teeniest bit of power to defend herself from that skeleton and it did so much damage. You probably didn’t notice but by the time the King died and she killed that plant she was practically blind.**

 

“Blind?! Why?” Chara felt annoyance tugging at the back of her mind over all these questions she was asking. But she wanted to understand what was happening.

 

**The magic of skeleton type monsters takes the form of a magic eye of sorts. It’s why their eyes glow when using their magic and partly the reason why Sansy could see you. It’s why Frisk's eyes would turn purple and glow. Main difference though is skeleton monsters don’t have eyes and other important bits to worry about. Her body is still adjusting to cope with her new magic. Reckless usage now would have long lasting effects. Though, she could probably use her magic to see if she ever did go blind...but I figure she would prefer using her own eyes.**

 

“...”

 

**Oh, don’t be like that! She’ll be fine once the reset is complete. We just gotta be careful. To be honest, I don’t exercise much control over Frisk. I’m more of a limiter and safety net. I’d like things to stay that way.**

 

“Why would it change?”

**Hmmmmmm...like I said, Frisk is broken. A lot had happened before they fell and even more before that. But it’s not my place to gossip. Feel free to ask her yourself. I need you to watch over Frisk, make sure she doesn’t do anything she may regret.**

 

“Me? Why do you want me to watch her?”

 

**Well, for starters you would still be stuck in that garden in the ruins if it weren’t for Frisk. And me. Your connection to Frisk allowed you to travel freely, at least while you were near her. That’s why when Frisk died, you also ‘died’ with her. After that, there’s the possibility that without you she’ll probably kill a few monsters again.**

 

“She would not go through all of that again, would she?”

 

**Hard to say. But when in doubt, she fights. Conditioned that way. Kill or be killed.**

 

“...”

 

**Well, maybe you can do something about it. Lastly...Frisk trusts you.**

 

“Huh?”

 

**I guess trust is a strong word. She doesn’t not trust you.**

 

“Why would you think that she trusts me? We barely know each other. We met for the first time right before I watched her go on a killing spree.”

 

**True true. But...she did cry in front of you. ya? Sleep in front of you?**

 

“She did but...why does that matter?”

 

**Frisk hasn’t cried since she stopped wearing nappies, heehee.**

 

“Really…?”

 

**Well, not in front of people at least. Come on, I’m part of Frisk. Stop questioning my Frisk-wisdom!**

 

“...” Chara thought back to Frisk's breakdown in the throne room.

 

**Well, it’s not like I’m giving you much of a choice. You manage Frisk or you and the Underground suffer an eternal loop of potential genocide.**

 

Chara's red eyes shot red hot daggers at Gasterisk.

 

**Heehee, I like that look in your eyes.**

 

Chara caught herself, scowling as she averted her eyes while clicking her tongue.

 

**Heeheehee, you’re pretty spunky. To be fair, that eternal loop would be pretty bad for Frisk too. Bad for Frisk equals bad for me. I wouldn’t be able to stand that comedian for an eternity.**

 

“...I’ll do it, but only because I have no choice…”

 

**Hmm? Sure, sure. Just imagine she’s a rambunctious, potentially violent, pupper.**

 

“Pupper? You mean a puppy?”

 

**Yes! You could just put a leash on her, lead her along gently...patiently...firmly.**

 

“Wha--?!” Chara's face turned bright red.

 

**Ah! Those burning cheeks! Did the image awaken your inner S?!**

 

“My inner what?!”

 

**Um, well, you’ll figure it out one day I guess. Anyhoo, the reset is just about done. You can go ahead and thank me now.**

 

“Thank you for what? Extortion?”

 

**Heehee, nice. Well, you’ll see.** Gasterisk shuffled uncomfortably, a nervous smile on her face.  **Take care of Frisk...things are going to be harder for a while.**

 

“...? I will.”


	9. Chapter 9

Chara stirred quietly amidst the golden flowers, eyelids fluttering as she woke up. She slowly opened her eyes, strange sensations brushing against her hands and face. Her eyes shot open as she quickly sat up.

 

“This is…” She placed her hands on the ground. “I can feel the dirt...touch it…”

 

Try as she might, Chara could no longer float in the air. Her legs trembled as she slowly stood on her feet for the first time in who knows how long. Tears blurred her vision as a hand rest on her chest. A strong heartbeat resonated through her body.

 

“I...I am alive? I have a body…!” Chara smirked, “So this is what she meant.”

 

Chara took some tentative steps to test her balance and strength. After giving herself a satisfactory evaluation she flopped back onto the ground. Even the slight soreness from her bottom hitting the ground was welcome. She turned her head to Frisk. When Frisk had first fallen into the Underground it took a bit of coaxing on Chara's part to wake her. Chara scooted closer to Frisk and gently shook her shoulder.

 

“Frisk. Frisk, wake up.” Chara shook her a bit harder. “Frisk? Come on, wake up.”

 

Silence.

 

“Frisk?!” Chara placed her ear to Frisk's chest, a quiet heartbeat calming some of her worries.

 

The small girls breathing was shallow and ragged. Chara mumbled a quick apology before carefully unbuttoning Frisk's sweater. Throughout their journey, Chara could remember occasionally wondering about all the bandages around her neck and legs. Considering how Frisk was able to defeat monster after monster, Chara never considered the possibility that her injuries were anything severe. With the sweater unbuttoned, Chara lifted Frisk's shirt just slightly. Bandages were wrapped around her ribs, possibly around her chest as well. Bruises marked her stomach and sides.

 

“What in the world happened to you…?”

 

Chara fixed the girls clothes and tentatively lifted Frisk off the ground. She was lighter than Chara expected so she risked picking Frisk all the way up. Despite the slight strain in her legs, Chara found that she could carry the human with relative ease. Her thoughts turned to the path that had lead to their meeting with that weed, but also to Toriel. With one foot after the other, Chara made her way down the tunnels until she reached the spot where Flowey should have been. Should being the key word. Her red eyes scanned the room for any signs that the plant was around. Feeling confident that she would not be ambushed, Chara continued onward before a shocked gasp stopped her in her tracks.

 

“C-Chara…?” A gentle voice called out, shaky and uncertain. “Is...is that really you, my child?”

 

“...Mother…” She could already feel the tears rolling down her cheeks. “Mother!”

 

Chara quickened her pace until she could feel the familiar fabric of Toriel's robe on her face. Soft furry hands pulled her in, caressing her head.

 

“Oh, my child, by what miracle have I been reunited with you!” Toriel wiped the tears from her eyes as she pulled away to get a better look at Chara, “You have not changed a bit...and, who is this?”

 

“This is Frisk...she needs help, Mother…” Chara readjusted her hold on Frisk. “She is hurt, I am not sure how badly.”

 

Toriel brushed aside Frisk's bangs and place her hand on her head. A dangerous heat had started to radiate from Frisk's body.

 

“Follow me close, Chara.” Toriel took Frisk from Chara and turned back towards the tunnel she appeared from.

 

Chara grabbed onto Toriel's robes as she matched pace with the goat monster. Toriel led her child through the various puzzles of the ruins until they finally reached her home.

 

“Chara, dear, there are some small towels in the kitchen. Fill a large bowl with some water and bring the towels to the room in the hallway, first door on the left.”

 

“Okay!”

 

Toriel entered the room and placed Frisk in bed. Frisk's face was now flushed, her breathing becoming more labored. Chara entered the room carrying a large bowl with towels draped on her arms.

 

“Thank you, dear.” Toriel placed several towels into the bowl, grabbing one and ringing it out.

 

Toriel placed the wet towel on Frisk's forehead. Steam rose from the towel and magic sparked from Frisk's body. Toriel quickly stepped back, pulling Chara behind her. She had seen this kind of reaction before. An unnatural heat. It was very common during the war, when many monsters would use magic beyond their limits causing their bodies to overheat. Toriel was fairly certain that the young girl was human, but now she was not so sure. She put aside her concerns as she turned to Chara. Toriel returned to Frisk's side and carefully opened her sweater. She reached under Frisk as she was checking the bandages, when she felt a sticky substance through the bandages on Frisk's back.

 

“Chara can you go to the kitchen and start some hot water for tea?”

 

“Are you sure? I can help with Frisk.” Chara had a worried look on her face.

 

“It is fine, my child. There should be some tea in the cupboards. And perhaps some chocolate as well…”

 

“Chocolate?! I will have the tea finished right away!” Chara rushed out of the room and towards the kitchen.

 

A sigh escaped Toriel. Chara was still the same chocolate fanatic. She pulled her hand from under Frisk and like she expected her fingers were coated with blood. After removing the girls clothes and the old, dirty bandages, wounds in various stages of healing were revealed. Toriel grimaced as she carefully peeled away the bandages. Placing her hands a few inches above Frisk's body, Toriel used healing magic to heal the smaller wounds and bruises across her torso and back. The goat monster got up and entered the hallway, listening for Chara in the kitchen. The sound of cupboards being opened and closed told Toriel what she wanted to know. She grabbed a small medical bag from her room and returned to Frisk. Clean bandages and some medicinal cream took care of the larger injuries. Frisk's arms and legs were covered mostly with bruises and small cuts which were easily healed with her magic. The bandages around Frisk's neck were the last place for Toriel to check. She gently removed the bandages, slowly exposing dozens of stitches. Toriel closed her eyes and covered her mouth with the back of her hand, choking back a sob. Who could ever do this to such a small child? A burning rage flashed across her face as she checked the injury for any signs of infection. The stitches were clean and precise, much to Toriel's relief. The new bandages were snugly wrapped around Frisk's neck, completing her task. She dressed Frisk in fresh clothing and pulled the bedding over her. As she left the room with Frisk's dirty clothes, something hard and metallic fell to the floor with a thud. Startled, Toriel looked down to see the silencer. Confused she picked up the object and quickly entered her room. She placed the silencer on her desk and carefully searched through Frisk's clothes. When she was done, two knives, a holstered pistol and two clips of ammo. Toriel sat on her bed at a loss for words. She had learned from the former Royal Scientist about these new weapons; a few had fallen into the Underground with the other trash. This one looked much newer and advanced than the ones she had seen, but the goat monster knew that it was a dangerous weapon nonetheless. The two knives were much simpler to understand. Toriel sighed deeply. If children were carrying such weapons, what on earth was happening on the surface. She thought back to the war between humans and monsters. As she left the room, Toriel could hear Chara still rummaging through the kitchen.

 

“Where would I be if I were chocolate…” The red-eyed girl crouched as she searched through the cupboards.

 

“Where indeed, my child.” Toriel let out a chuckle as she grabbed the pot to start the tea Chara had clearly forgotten about. “How about you go wash up and I will have a nice cup of hot chocolate ready for you?”

 

“Yes! I will be right back!” Chara rushed out of the kitchen before stopping in her tracks. “Um, mother?”

 

“Mhm?”

 

“H-how is Frisk? Will she be okay?”

 

“She will be fine. I was able to heal her injuries and the rest will be taken care of with much needed rest.” Toriel turned and smiled at Chara, “For now, you should rest as well. You can see her when she wakes up.”

 

“I do not need to see her! I...I was just curious.”

 

“Haha, I see.”

 

Toriel watched her child leave the kitchen and returned to her preparations. Questions filled her mind but she forced those aside to be dealt with later. For now, she would simply enjoy the gift she had been given. Toriel was all smiles as she thought about all the times she had caught Chara sneaking chocolate. It was a little surprising to see something pull her interest away from chocolate for even a moment. This Frisk must be very important to Chara. Toriel's motherly instincts burned into overdrive as her brain compiled all current information for further analysis.

 

-    -    -

 

“ _..._ ”

 

**You could at least try, Frisk...I’m the most honest version of you there could be so I don’t know why you are trying to argue with me.**

 

“ _...I can’t...though…_ ”

 

**I know...I know it’s hard. But you should still try. This is what you’ve always wanted, ya? A clean break. You’ve already dealt with all of the possible prob--**

 

“ _Enough._ ”

 

**S-sorry. A-anyhoo, this is your chance. And Chara seems like she’d be willing to help you. You trust Chara, at least a little bit?**

 

“ _..._ ” Frisk remained silent but nodded.

 

Gasterisk sighed as she sat back to back with Frisk in the void. She looked around at the empty expanse and made popping noises with her mouth.

 

“ _How long until I can wake up?_ ”

 

**Hmm, not sure. That last stunt we pulled burned quite a bit of power. And the magic took a toll on your body. AND on top of that you already had injuries that were healing.**

 

“ _..._ ”

 

**No worries, you know that I will never let anything happen to you again. Ever.**

 

“ _I know._ ”

 

**Heehee, this kind of Frisk is pretty cute!**

 

“ _..._ ”

 

 **Sorry.** Gasterisk turned and wrapped her arms around Frisk, pulling her into a hug. **I know that we don’t have to...but have you thought about what he wanted? After all, if it wasn’t for him neither of us would be here. For better or worse.**

 

“ _I have…_ ” Frisk placed a hand on Gasterisks arm and squeezed. “ _Will I be able to do it?_ ”

 

 **Yes.** Her arms squeezed Frisk tighter. **But it’ll be bad. Really bad. I’m not sure what will happen to me...let alone what might happen to you…**

 

“ _..._ ”

 

**Heehee, are you worried about me?**

 

“ _No._ ”

 

**Ouch, heeheehee!**

 

“ _It’s what Chara would want too, right?_ ”

 

**Oh ho, you really do like this Chara person! I didn’t think you had it in you to get attached.**

 

“ _Me neither._ ”

 

**Hmmmm? May I ask why?**

 

“ _..._ ”

 

**Is that a no? Or you don’t know?**

 

“ _She’s a bad liar._ ”

 

**What? Heeheeheeheeheeee! A bad liar? Ahahahahahaha!**

 

“ _She has no poker face and wears her heart on her sleeve._ ”

 

**Heehee, ya she is pretty adorable when she’s trying to hide something.**

 

“Someone like that...couldn’t lie or betray me if they tried…”

 

**…**

 

“ _Don’t you already know these things? Why are you asking me questions?_ ”

 

**Well, I know what I know but I don’t know what I don’t. I try not to pry without permission. I know everything from before I was a thing. Now that I’m my own thing I should act like it.**

 

“ _So your personality isn’t something I’ll have to worry about in my future?_ ”

 

**No. Well, not all of it. Like, just a tiny bit of it. You’re so repressed.**

 

“ _..._ ”

 

**Sorry.**

 

“ _Gasterisk?_ ”

 

**Oh, my name sounds so refreshing coming from you! Yes?**

 

“ _He’ll be there, once we leave the ruins...won’t he?_ ”

Gasterisk’s face went slack, her eyes somehow growing darker. Her thin smile grew wider as the cracks on her face popped.

 

**I won’t let that comedian hurt you again.**

 

Frisk simply nodded.

 

-    -    -

 

A day had passed and Frisk was still sleeping. Chara sat in the living room with Toriel by the fireplace. Her red eyes would constantly glance to the hallway. Toriel put down her book and smiled at her child.

 

“Chara, may I ask you some questions?”

 

“Huh? Of course, mother.”

 

“...” Toriel thought carefully about how to ask the questions she had been saving in her mind. “Well, for starters do you know...how you…”

 

The discomfort on Toriel's face was obvious.

 

“To be honest, I am not sure. The last thing I remembered was being terribly sick.” Toriel winced at the mention of Chara's last moments. “And then there was...nothing? It felt like I was just alone for a long time. And then I woke up in the flowers. That is all I know about how I ended up here.”

 

“I see.” Toriel's smiled brightened. “Well, regardless of how it happened, I am grateful and overjoyed to have you back.”

 

“Me too…” The red-eyed girl smiled as well.

 

Chara walked over to her mother and knelt by her legs, resting her head in Toriel's lap. A warm, gentle hand brushed her hair.

 

“Well, my next question is about Frisk. You seem to be very fond of the girl. How did you meet her?”

 

“I-I am not fond of her!” Chara's cheeks flushed a bit more than usual. “I am just concerned about an injured person. That is normal, yes?”

 

“Hahaha, you need not be so defensive, my child!”

 

“I am not being defensive! I am…” Her eyes dropped to the floor. “I could not stand by and do nothing.”

 

“That is very admirable. I assume she must have fallen from the surface like you.”

 

“Yes. When I woke up in the flowers Frisk was already lying there as well.”

 

“It was fortunate that you were there then,” Chara moved back to her spot near the fires as Toriel stood and moved towards the kitchen. “How does some butterscotch pie sound?”

 

“That sounds delicious.”

 

Chara watched as Toriel entered the kitchen to make preparations. She thought about all that she had been through with Frisk. Guilt tugged at her soul as she went over everything she had told Toriel. While she had not lied, Chara left out quite a bit of information. She sighed as she turned to the hallway once again.


	10. Chapter 10

“ _ How long has it been? _ ”

 

**Hmm, four days? Should be fine for you to wake up soon.**

 

“ _ Hmm. _ ”

 

**What? Ah! Do...do you want to stay with me longer? Gee, you’re gonna make me blush!**

 

“ _... _ ”

 

**No? Aww...well, what is it?**

 

“ _ Nothing. So I’ll wake up soon? _ ”

 

**Yes. But I guess I should do a quick overview with you.**

 

“ _ Overview? _ ”

 

**Well, I guess the only real thing is that you should keep two things in mind.**

 

“ _ Okay…? _ ”

 

**One: Finishing what the old man started. We owe him.**

 

“ _ Yes. _ ”

 

**Two: No more killing.**

 

“ _... _ ”

 

**Frisk.**

 

“ _...I know. _ ”

 

**Frisk…**

 

“ _ I know! I’ll...I’ll try… _ ”

 

**Well, that’s all I can ask. I’m not asking you to trust them. I’ll be there to help you defend yourself.**

 

“ _... _ ”

 

**You should be fine. Chara will be with you and she’s back in her body, all alive and stuff. Just let her do the talking, she should know how to get through to the monsters.**

 

“ _ You said that she’s alive again? Did you do that? _ ”

 

**Mhm, since we were already using a lot of power I thought, ‘Why not?’**

 

“ _...isn’t what you’re able to do a bit...unreasonable? _ ”

 

**A bit, but it’s not all fixing, all doing. The core and supersaturation of magic in the Underground allows me to replenish magic very easily. Also, the number of times I can reset is limited. We still have a WHOLE heaping pocketful of them but they’ll run out eventually.**

 

“ _ Really? So, I’ll just run out of magic? _ ”

 

**You’ll always have magic. And eventually your body will completely adapt to using it. However, the amount of magic needed to do what we’ve been doing is costly.**

 

“ _ You mean…? _ ”

 

**Yes! It’s not that you’ll run out of magic or get weaker. It’s that every time you use that amount of magic, it takes a permanent toll on your body. You were pretty frail to begin with…**

 

“ _... _ ”

 

**I need you to be careful. Listen to Chara and try to avoid...dying.**

 

“ _ Alright. _ ”

 

**I think someone is with you. Time for you to wake up. Be good, Frisk.**

 

-    -    -

 

Toriel sat by the bed as she checked Frisk's temperature. The girl was still running a mild fever but it was much less than the dangerous heat she had been bathed in before. As Toriel brushed back a hair from Frisk's face, a slight stirring caught her attention. Frisk's eyelids fluttered a bit as she slowly regained consciousness. She was immediately uncomfortable from the fever but ignored it and tried to sit herself up.

 

“My child! You must rest, please, lay back down.”

 

The hand Toriel had reached out to her shoulder caused Frisk to flinched terribly. The goat monster pulled her hand back as Frisk stared her down.

 

“I-I do not mean you have any harm, child.” Toriel felt a bit hurt by the reaction. “You were injured after your fall and brought back here by my daughter.”

 

Frisk looked around the room for Chara. Hearing Toriel refer to Chara as her daughter helped Frisk calm down a bit as she laid her head back on the pillow. Toriel pulled the covers back over Frisk and smiled.

 

“You are safe now. The worst of your fever has passed but you still need to rest.” Toriel shuffled uncomfortably before continuing. “I have some question for you, if you do not mind?”

 

Frisk thought for a few moments before nodding her head slightly.

 

“Before I start, I had to change your bandages, so...I know about your...more severe injury…”

 

“...” Frisk nodded.

 

“Do not worry, all my questions can be answered with a simple yes or no.”

 

Frisk nodded again.

 

“My name is Toriel, I am the caretaker of the ruins here in the Underground. My daughter found you after you had fallen. Were you awake for any of this?”

 

Frisk shook her head.

 

“I see...do you...do you remember how you came to be injured?”

 

Frisk lied and shook her head.

 

“Well, I supposed that may be for the best…” The goat monster thought for a moment before continuing. “My next question...are you...human?”

 

Toriel fell silent as she watched for Frisk's reaction with worry in her eyes. True to form, Frisk's features remained etched in stone as she decided what the best answer would be. Frisk could see that Toriel was already suspicious due to the question. She decided to leave that question unanswered, given she was not sure herself if she was human anymore..

 

“That last question was probably quite strange, my apologies.” Toriel smiled awkwardly. “My last question...are those weapons I found...really yours?”

 

Frisk tensed a bit. She decided to answer honestly, since the weapons had already been found on her person. The girl nodded.

 

“Is the surface such a place that even a child must carry weapons?” Toriel looked heartbroken.

 

This genuine concern threw Frisk for a loop. All she could do was look away.

 

“I see.” Toriel sighed and put on her best smile. “Well, there will be time in the future for such depressing talk. Since you are awake do you feel like eating?”

 

Frisk nodded.

 

“Wonderful! Do you like pie? I will have Chara bring it in and the two of you can chat.”

 

Frisk stiffened at the mention of Chara. She was not sure what to expect or what to do. Toriel left the room to prepare, leaving Frisk to her thoughts. A few moments passed when Chara entered the room with a tray. After helping Frisk sit up and arranging the tray across her lap, Chara took the seat next to her bed.

 

“How are you feeling…?” Chara sat awkwardly, pulling at the loose threads on her shorts.

 

Frisk looked at Chara while Chara stared back. After a few moments, Frisk furrowed her brow and tried to speak. She rubbed her throat as a raspy breath was all that escaped her lips. Chara, confused, scooted closer to the bed.

 

“Frisk? Are you okay?”

 

Frisk just looked at Chara with a serious face.

 

“I...I figured something bad happened; that you cannot speak normally. But...can I not hear your thoughts anymore?”

 

Frisk slowly nodded.

 

Chara ran her hands through her hair. She thought back to Gasterisk’s final words before the reset finished. This really was going to be hard. Chara sighed and gestured at the pie.

 

“Well, for now you should eat. We can figure out something later.”

 

Frisk nodded again as she picked up her fork. She cut a small piece of the pie, gingerly sniffing it as she brought it near her mouth.

 

“Just eat it! There’s nothing wrong with it!”

 

Frisk took the bite. And then another. Before long she had finished the pie and the tea. Chara was simply astounded.

 

“...Do you want some more?”

 

Frisk blushed slightly and nodded her head.

 

“I will be right back.”

 

Chara collected the tray and returned to the kitchen where Toriel was preparing another pie.

 

“Did she enjoy the pie, my child?”

 

“Yes. So much that she would like some more.” Chara had a wry smile on her face.

 

“A hearty appetite is a good sign!” Toriel beamed at the thought of someone enjoying her cooking.

 

The goat momster prepared two more slices of pie and some more tea for Chara to take to Frisk. Chara carefully returned to the room where Frisk proceeded to inhale the food. Chara tried to hold back giggles at the site of such a small girl consuming almost half a pie. But her smile quickly vanished as she saw tears in Frisk’s eyes.

 

“Frisk? What is wrong?”

 

Frisk continued to eat the pie as tears rolled down her face.

 

“...Is it that good…?”

 

The younger girl nodded between bites.

 

“Oh Frisk…”

 

On the other side of the door to the room, Toriel stood quietly. She desperately wanted to burst into the room and shower Frisk with motherly affection but she knew that it was not the time. The severe reaction the girl had to Toriel placing a hand on her shoulder was evidence enough. She silently returned to the kitchen to finish preparing more pies for later. Chara watched Frisk eat and gently grabbed her hand.

 

“You should slow down a bit…”

 

“ _ Okay… _ ”

 

Chara almost let go of Frisks hand at the sudden voice in her head.

 

“I-I could hear you!” Chara squeezed Frisks hand a little tighter.

 

“ _ You can? _ ”

 

“Yes, I think…” she looked at Frisks small hand in hers. “I think we just needed to be in contact for it to work this time.”

 

“ _ She did say that we used up a lot of power… _ ”   
  


Chara nodded her head, since this made sense, but also had a nagging notion at the back of her head. Part of her wondered if this was just a way for Gasterisk to mess with her. She looked to Frisk’s hand in hers and felt a slight heat in her face as she thought about having to walk around holding hands in order to communicate.

 

“ _ I’m finished. _ ”

 

“Ah! Uh, okay. I can take the dishes. You should try to get some sleep. We can talk more later.”

 

“ _ I’m fine. Sorry for crying... _ ”

 

“No, no it is fine. May I ask why?”

 

Frisk turned her head away.

 

“You do not have to tell me, I--”

 

“ _ I’ve never had pie before. _ ”

 

Chara just stared at Frisk.

 

“ _ I’ve never had anything sweet before...such a stupid thing to cry over… _ ”

 

“Wait...does that mean you’ve never had chocolate…?”

 

Frisk nodded her head.

 

Chara reached into her sweater and pulled out a bar of chocolate she had finally found in the kitchen. She unwrapped it and broke off a small piece. Frisk looked confused and was thinking to question Chara before the piece of chocolate was thrust in her face.

 

“Open up. Eat it.” Chara never looked more serious.

 

Frisk frowned and opened her mouth, accepting the chocolate. The sweet taste spread through her mouth.

 

“Delicious, right?”

  
“ _...Yeah… _ ” Frisk covered her mouth with her hand, hiding the small smile that had started to break through.


	11. Chapter 11

Several more days had passed. Frisk had healed to full strength, both due to Toriel’s expert care and Frisks own magic reserves. While Frisk had slowly become more acclimated to living with the goat monster, she found it difficult to completely relax. Having Chara around made things easier, but it was still a challenge. Frisk knew that she would eventually need to leave the ruins. There was also the matter of her weapons. She did not bring them up with Chara in order to avoid any unnecessary tension. For now, she would bide her time. Toriel had fixed snail pie for lunch, causing Chara to sigh.

 

“I thought you loved my snail pie!” Toriel was shocked to hear that Chara was not a fan.

 

“I do not hate it...but I would rather not eat snails.” Chara crumpled her face as she took a bite.

 

Frisk on the other hand, quietly ate her slice of pie with no complaints. She found the snail pie to be rather savory and flavorful. Toriel watched the smaller human eat and smiled, getting up to wash the dishes. She walked into the kitchen as she listened to Chara and Frisk leave the house to play outside. A small sigh escaped her as she got to work on the dishes. Frisk still did not seem to trust her. The girl was obedient, almost disturbingly so. She would not question the monster when Toriel asked her to help clean and was the very opposite of a picky eater, eating anything that was put in front of her. However, Toriel, and her keen eye for detail, noticed the little things that Frisk would do.

 

She noticed that Frisk would never look directly at her but always seemed to be watching her. Appraising her. The young girl would also never eat first. She would wait until Toriel had taken a bite before starting herself. The complete lack of trust stung at Toriels heart but she understood. She had survived the war with the humans. The war that saw monsterkind sealed in the Underground. But more than that, she had seen the horrors that war brings, on both sides. When survival is your first priority, trust among strangers is the first to go. Here she was, a young human girl in a strange new place surrounded by monsters. Luckily, Chara was here but it had to be tough. Toriel also understood the clear signs of abuse. Wherever Frisk had been before falling into the Underground, it must have been a vile place. Toriel thought back to the stories Chara had told her of the surface. Chara described her town as a nice place, with the exception of her parents.

 

Toriel almost broke a plate thinking back on the abuse Chara had to endure. Her motherly instincts burning in her soul. Another sigh escaped her mouth as she wiped her hands on a dish towel. She tried to shake these negative thoughts out of her mind but one refused to go. Only monsters with immense magical reserves could cause themselves to exhibit the symptoms that Frisk showed. Weaker monsters would exhaust themselves well before being even close to hitting their limits, let alone exceeding them. Toriel’s mind wandered to when Asgore was only the crown prince, trying to hold the line during their retreat. He and the ‘Hammer of Justice’ were able to hold off the pursuing forces while the monsters evacuated into the Underground, not knowing that their safe haven would become their prison.

 

A small, sad smile caught Toriel by surprise at the memories of a younger Asgore. She quickly pushed him out of her mind as more recent memories of his actions caused her face to darken. Toriel sighed again as she finished the dishes and returned to the living room to sit and read. Frisk had showed no additional signs of having magic, let alone enough magic to revival a Boss Monster. Toriel had learned from Chara that Frisk was already fourteen. The goat momster had assumed her to be much younger from her size. Chara was the same as she had been all those years ago. Decades. Which meant that Chara was still sixteen. Toriel smiled as she thought of the two girls. She had noticed Frisk grabbing Charas hand whenever she had the chance. And despite outwardly protesting, Chara would not shake off the younger girls hand. Toriel laughed quietly to herself at the image in her head. She wondered if Chara missed having a younger sibling. This thought caused her face to darken once again.

 

-    -    -

 

“I am not sure I like this idea.” Chara fiddled with the golden flowers surrounding them with one hand, the other holding Frisk’s.

 

“ _ Really? I figured it would be better than trying to...confront her again. _ ” Frisk sat next to Chara, her knees pulled to her chest and one hand holding Chara’s.

 

“It is but...I do not like the thought of sneaking away. It feels...wrong, like I am abandoning her. Again.”

 

“ _...You could leave a note, or something. If you try to explain things to her before we leave, she will just try and stop us. _ ”

 

“I know! I know…” Chara pulled a flower out of the ground, her brow furrowed in annoyance.

 

Frisk frowned and pulled her hand away. She stood up and patted her shorts clean, turning to walk back to Toriel’s home. Plans to get her weapons back, plans to sneak out of the ruins, plans for later. All of these thoughts filled Frisk’s mind as Chara stood up. The older girl clenched the flower in her hand as she watched Frisk disappear into the ruins. Despite being the older of the two, Chara always felt like a child when dealing with Frisk. She was practically an adult, in her mind, but Frisk had a maturity that she could not match. Part of her was annoyed, envious. Part of her was afraid. Chara understood that Frisk was right. It would be easier to run away in the dead of night than it would be to convince Toriel to let them leave. But leaving her mother alone in these ruins without saying anything was not. She dropped the flower in her hand and followed after Frisk.

 

When Frisk arrived home, Toriel gave her a warm greeting. A small nod from the younger child lifted Toriel’s spirits a bit. Progress. Chara came in shortly after to find Toriel talking to Frisk. She frowned as she saw how happy her mother looked. Guilt tugged at her soul before she steeled herself.

 

“Mother, we need to talk to you.” Chara felt her face heat up a bit at how her voice squeaked.

 

Toriel turned to Chara with a curious look on her face. Frisk had a much more serious look, slightly shaking her head. She ignored Frisk and focused on her mother.

 

“Frisk and I...we need to leave the ruins.” The instant look of hurt and concern that washed over Toriel almost made Chara regret her decision. “We have something we must do. As much as I would like to...we cannot stay here forever.”

 

Frisk backed away, watching Toriel for a reaction. Toriel closed her eyes, rubbing her hands together, before sighing softly. She gave Chara a smile before pulling the girl into a hug. The older girl could feel her eyes getting misty. Toriel turned to Frisk, arms open and welcoming. Frisk hesitated a moment before stepping into the goat momsters arms along with Chara. Toriel hugged them both tightly before releasing them and stepping away.

 

“I understand.”

 

Chara looked utterly shocked while Frisk breathed a small sigh of relief.

 

“Really?” Chara flinched at how unconvinced she sounded.

 

“Yes, my dear, really.” Toriel laughed at how shocked her child was before continuing. “I had a feeling that you two were planning something. I am just glad that you were honest with me.”

 

Frisk gripped her shorts, confused by the small pang of guilt she felt. Chara noticed the younger girls shoulders drop a bit.

 

“So, you are saying we can leave?”

 

“Yes…” A bit of hesitation leaked into her voice. “Yes. But before you do, I must tell you what has happened in your absence.”

 

Chara and Frisk sat together, listening to Toriel’s tale. How Asgore made his declaration, after the deaths of his two children, in order to boost the morale of his people. How other humans had fallen into the Underground before Frisk, only to never be heard from again. Chara had started to cry part way through, claiming that this was all her fault. Toriel took the girl in her arms and reassured her that she did nothing wrong. Frisk quietly stood to the side. After Chara had calmed down and Toriel finished her tale, the two girls were prepared for their journey by the goat momster in the only way imaginable. Chara was bundled tight in a new jacket and scarf that Toriel had made for her. Frisk was also bundled up by a new turtleneck she could wear under her own sweater and a new scarf. The scarf appeared to be a bit too big but Frisk seemed to like it. Neither of the girls were sure when Toriel had to time to make them, but there was no point in bringing it up. They were led to the exit of the ruins and Toriel once again hugged the two girls. Chara was handed a small bag of chocolates, along with a warning not to eat it all at once. While Chara was entranced by the bag, Toriel turned to Frisk and handed her a small bag of gold.

 

“This should be enough for you two to get by on.” Toriel placed a fuzzy hand on Frisk’s face, delighted that the girl did not pull back. “Do not let Chara spend it all on sweets.”

 

Toriel leaned in and whispered, “Protect Chara and yourself.”

 

Frisk did not know how to react to the trusting look that Toriel gave her so the young girl simply nodded.Chara and Frisk pushed opened the doors and made their way into the windy snowscape. Toriel watched with sad eyes as her two children vanished behind the closing doors.

 

“Be good, my children.”


	12. Chapter 12

Chara watched the doors to the ruins close. She had thought about asking her mother to come with them, but the fact that Toriel had not offered, despite her worries, told Chara that she had some reason to stay behind. The older girl turned to face Frisk, who was simple standing in snow facing down the path. Chara reached out and grabbed Frisk’s hand. It was already cold despite their brief exposure.

 

“Did you bring everything? Though, it is a bit late now…” Chara glanced at the door.

 

“ _No._ ”

 

“What?! What did you leave?”

 

“ _My weapons._ ”

 

Chara sucked in a breath as those words resonated in her mind. She had forgotten all about those weapons. Tools of death. She felt a small squeeze on her hand.

 

“ _Chara?_ ” Frisk gave Chara a curious look.

 

“Why did you leave them? Did you forget them in the house?”

 

“ _No. I left them behind because if I don’t have them, I won’t be as much of a danger._ ”

 

“You...you did not need to leave them behind...you just needed to be more careful.”

 

“ _My hands move faster than my mind can react. Conditioned. If I had my gun, I would shoot at the first sign of danger before stopping to think it through. It’s better this way._ ” Frisk started to walk, pulling Chara with her. “ _You don’t want me to kill any monsters...so I need to take all precautions._ ”

 

 _Precautions…_ That word echoed through Chara’s mind, reminding her of the younger girl’s intimidating maturity.

 

The two girls walked hand in hand through the snow. It was only a matter of time before the bridge and faulty gate were in sight. Each step further to the bridge, Frisk would slow down. It came to the point that Chara was now leading Frisk to the bridge, the latter’s face hidden by her hood and scarf. Reaching the bridge, the two girls were stopped by a familiar voice.

 

“what the fuck is going on here?”

 

Chara turned to face Sans, his ever present grin strained. Frisk had buried what was left of her exposed face into Chara’s back.

 

“i asked you a question, kid.”  Sans took a step forward.

 

“Everything was reset. We do not know how.” Chara could feel her heart beating in her ears.

 

“don’t lie to me kid. it’s a waste of your time.” Sans closed one eye and reached a hand out.

 

Frisk was lift by the blue aura and yanked from Chara’s grasp.

 

“Frisk!”

 

“now tell me, what the fuck is going on?”

 

Frisk floated limply in front of Sans, silent. Sans was tempted to throw the brat through a tree but took the time to view her soul. What he saw still disturbed him, but it was different than before. No monsters had been killed, so far. The red eyed ghost was now a red eyed human, her soul clean of any sin.

 

“i can see that you haven’t killed any monsters this time around, kid.” Sans sighed. “i just need you to speak up and answer my questions for once.”

 

“Frisk cannot speak!” Chara managed to force her legs to work past the fear and she made her way to Frisk, wrapping her arms around her to try and pull her free from the magic. “Her...her throat was injured, before she fell I think.”

 

“then why doesn’t she just use some of that magic of hers and talk like she did before?”

 

**Because that was me, you comedian.**

 

Frisk was dropped into Chara’s arms as a tremendous pressure spiked around them, dispersing the magic.

 

“Frisk?” Chara cradled Frisk in her arms as the younger girls head slowly lifted.

 

Standing to face Sans, Frisk pulled back her hood to reveal her face. Black, inky darkness dripped from her eyes and mouth, the former empty pools and the latter a messy grin. Sans let his left eye ignite as he took a step back.

 

**Did you really think I’d let Frisk look at you after what you did?**

 

Gasterisk placed themselves between Chara and Sans. The ink dripped from her face into the snow, disappearing. Sans quickly reexamined Frisk’s soul to find a dark core forming at its center. And then he could see nothing.

 

 **It’s rude and creepy to pry open and stare at a young maiden’s secrets!** Gasterisk glared at him with a shit eating grin.

 

“so you’re the thing that’s been messing with everything.”

 

**Thing? So rude. Such a horrible way to refer to what’s left of your mentor.**

 

Sans suddenly developed a vicious headache.

 

“mentor? heh, i think i would remember having a mentor like you. you’re just **dripping** with personality.”

 

**Ha. If I didn’t know that Gaster enjoyed bad puns as much as you did, I would have to wonder how he didn’t blow himself across space and time sooner.**

 

Now his skull felt like it was splitting in two.

 

“...g-gaster? why does that name sound so...familiar…?”

 

**I’ll give you a bit to process. Don’t take too long, it’s cold out here.**

 

Hundreds of fragments scattered across his mind, filling in the blanks that had been plaguing his memories.

 

“i…!” Sans dropped to his knees, hands on his skull. “i remember...the previous Royal Scientist…”

 

**About time, honestly. What did you do when you were with him, sleep?**

 

The blue yellow flame of his eye burned with renewed power. “what did you do with gaster?”

 

**I didn’t do anything.**

 

“then why do you have his magic?” Sans took a step forward.

 

 **Let me show you our soul, since it’s important now.** Sans was now able to view Frisk’s soul again. **Now tell me if I’m lying. The question you should be asking is why did Gaster** **_give_ ** **us his magic.**

 

The shocked look on Sans face showed everyone present that Gasterisk was telling the truth. Chara was also surprised to hear this. She did not know that giving magic was a thing monsters could do. And she was right.

 

“he couldn’t just give you his magic...magic is all that keeps monsters…”

 

**Alive? Indeed. He bet everything he had on little Frisky here.**

 

“...” Sans’ eye fizzled out as he put a bony hand on his head. “this is crazy...why would he give his magic...why would he die for a psychopath like her!”

 

Chara bristled a bit at the hostile tone taken towards the young girl.

 

**Ha. Heeheeheehee. Frisk is a psychopath? Maybe. Who isn’t? But that’s a little unreasonable, don’tcha think? A bit like the pot calling the kettle crazy?**

 

Sans’ eye lights disappeared. Gasterisk’s grin turned into a bitter grimace. **We can finish this at your place if you want answers. Wouldn’t want to keep that brother of yours waiting.**

 

The mention of Papyrus, caused Sans to flinch. He was still coming to terms with the fact that his brother, and all the other monsters, were alive again. He was happy, but concerned nonetheless. Sans grunted in reluctant agreement. The inky black evaporated from Frisk’s face, causing her to collapse into Chara’s arms once again. Chara gave Frisk a slight shake, a worried expression on her face, before maneuvering the younger girl onto her back. Sans walked ahead of her across the bridge, wondering if he was making a mistake. The trio went through all the same motions as before, though this time Chara took the time to solve the puzzles. Papyrus even allowed her to skip a few since she had to carry Frisk. The Great Papyrus was not the kind of cool guy to overlook an obvious handicap. The royal guard gave the two girls a wide berth as Gasterisk took control to give Chara a break. The dog monster’s instincts let them know that the scary girl with the dripping smile was not to be taken lightly. It was not long before the two arrived in Snowdin. Instead of heading to the inn right away, Chara carried the once again sleeping Frisk to the skeleton brother’s home. She knocked on the door and was a bit surprised when Papyrus invited them in so warmly.

 

“WHAT KIND OF ROYAL GUARD WOULD I BE IF I ALLOWED TWO CHILDREN SUCH AS YOURSELVES TO FREEZE?” Papyrus placed a hand to his puffed out chest.

 

“that would be rather **cold** of you, bro”

 

“SANS…”

 

“a rather…”

 

“SANS…!”

 

“ **icey** reception, heh”

 

“SAAAANS!! YOU AND YOUR BLASTED PUNS! I WILL BE IN THE KITCHEN PREPARING OUR GUESTS SOME WARM BEVERAGES!” Papyrus stomped his way into the kitchen.

 

“alright bro.”

 

Chara took a seat on the sofa with Frisk next to her. Sans took a seat on the other end, kicking his feet up on the table.

 

“before we start, what’s your name kid?”

 

“Chara…”

 

“chara...dreemurr right?”

 

A small sense of pride washed over her as she heard her full name. The name her adoptive family had given her.

 

“That is right…”

 

“heh, ya i remember you now. i remember gaster talkin’ about you and the prince before in the lab.”

 

“I see…” She felt her spirits drop at the mention of her brother.

 

“ah.” Sans cleared his throat. “sorry bout that.”

 

**Real smooth, bonebag.**

 

Gasterisk wrapped her arms around Chara, pulling her face into Frisk’s chest. Her muffled complaints slowly dropped off as she drifted to sleep.

 

 **Chara doesn’t need to hear all the boring junk we’re about to talk about.** Gasterisk rested Chara’s head on Frisk’s lap and started to play her hair. **You’re a pain to deal with, so to clear the air and promote healthy peace and cooperation for the future, ask away!**

 

Sans glanced to the kitchen nervously.

 

**It’ll be fine, Paps is sleeping peacefully at the kitchen table.**

 

“don’t call him that.” the light had disappeared from Sans’ eyes. “if anything happens to him again…”

 

**Yeah, yeah. ‘i’m gonna have a bad time’. He’s just sleeping. Now are you gonna ask your questions?**

 

“...” Sans took his feet off the table and sat up. “why did the kid do it? kill so many monsters. did you force her?”

 

**Of all the questions you could ask first, you stick to that silly one. Pfft.**

 

Gasterisk’s face was lit up by the light blaring from Sans’ eye. But then the glow from his eye was snuffed out, the space in the house growing darker as all traces of light seemed to be devoured by the spreading darkness. The empty voids of Gasterisk’s eyes stared into Sans’ soul, causing him to shiver as he felt his own sins crawling on his back.

 

**You think you’re the only one fit to dispense justice? That arrogance and your laziness are going to be the end of you. And the ones you care about.**

 

And then suddenly everything was back to normal. Sans let out a shaky breath, his heart would have been trying to push through his ribcage, if he had one.

 

**A small girl falls into the Underground. At first, everything is fine. But as she travels further, monsters start to attack her. They want to kill her. They want her soul. Now you tell me why she killed them?**

 

Sans flinched at the spite dripping off those words. He opened his mouth to say something but could not.

 

**No pun? No witty comment? That’s right, while you were wasting your life sleeping and joking around the rest of the Underground has been killing humans to escape.**

 

“but papyrus would never…”

 

**How was Frisk supposed to know? Pretty selfish assumption there. Makes me wonder what you would have done if Frisk had spared Papyrus but still killed everyone else.**

 

“...” Sans looked away.

 

**But. I will be the first to admit that Frisk’s ‘shoot first ask questions never’ methods are a bit…**

 

Sans could feel it in his bones.

 

**_Trigger happy._ **

 

Despite the tense situation and topic of conversation, Sans sputtered out a snort. If Papyrus has been conscious, he would have been furious.

 

**I don’t have much more to say about what happened previously. Not without bringing up a grudge I plan to hold onto for a while. I’m sure you won’t be forgetting it anytime soon.**

 

Sans felt his soul ache at the reminder of when he lost control.

 

**I guess the rest of your questions can be answered with a short story of how you and the rest of the Underground forgot W. D. Gaster.**

 

By the time Gasterisk had finished her story, Sans was once again reclined on the sofa with his legs up on the table. It seemed to be too much for the skeleton at first but his furrowed brow relaxed as he processed the information. He finally sighed and stood up. He stretched and walked towards the kitchen. Sans returned with a bottle of ketchup and dropped back onto the sofa.

 

“...i knew our research was dangerous but…” Sans took a swig of ketchup and sighed. “i guess he was always willing to push limits that others were too afraid to even consider.”

 

Gasterisk made no effort in hiding her disgust, watching the skeleton monster guzzle down ketchup.

 

“so, gaster...the old man is gone for good?”

 

**Yes. He bet everything on little Frisk here. Could have been another miscalculation for him. But I have a feeling Chara can do some good for Frisk and the monsters.**

 

“heh. well, no monsters have been dusted yet. but i need to ask...about the kids soul.”

 

Gasterisk smiled at Sans. The smile expert himself knew a forced smile when he saw one.

 

 **It’ll prolly be a ways off, but keep this in mind.** Gasterisk stared straight through Sans’ soul.

 

**The surface might not be what you hoped it was.**


	13. Chapter 13

The night grew colder every moment while darkness crept through the forest. The girl could feel herself getting weaker, her hands desperately clinging to the wound on her neck. Her whole body ached despite the feeling in her feet and legs starting to vanish. She knew if she stopped now she would not be able to start again, so she forced herself onwards. The steady beat of her heart rang in her ears alongside her ragged breath. Every step felt like the ground was covered in thorns. Pain pulsed through her chest and sides. The clouds parted and the light of the moon forced the darkness back. The girl finally stopped, her gaze dropping to the deep chasm in the ground. Her breathing fogged the air around her face as she stared into the sky. She had come so far; she was finally free. She had finally escaped that hell hole but it cost her more than she planned. The blood on her hands felt sticky as the grip on her throat tightened. Her eyes fell back to the ground. If she was going to die at least it would be on her terms. She let her hands drop to her sides, feeling the warmth on her neck increase. She stepped forward...

 

She had no way of knowing just how deep the chasm was but she felt her stomach pitch and fall as her body plummeted into the depths. Grey spots flooded her vision. It seemed she would blackout before she hit the ground. She let the relief wash over her as consciousness was swept away. The girl opened her eyes to find herself in an unfamiliar...room? Space? It was hard to describe where she was. Everything from the air to the atmosphere felt off. Like it was both fake like a dream, but also more real than she could comprehend. All sense of time was gone. How long had she been unconscious? It felt like she had been asleep for days. She scanned her surroundings and then looked herself over. Her blue and purple sweater was worn and the blood from her injuries had thoroughly soaked the material. To her surprise though, she was also covered in bandages. Her arms and neck were snuggly wrapped and she could feel more bandages wrapped around her chest and stomach. Efforts to move seemed fruitless as she resigned herself to simply floating along. Drifting? The proper word for her current state escaped her. And then she saw him. The girl could not be sure when he appeared, if he had appeared at all. It felt like he had just shown up after having always been there. Like her current surroundings, there seemed to be no proper description or concept for the situation at hand.

 

**< I see ---- --- are awake, -----. You had -- worried --- - moment there. With my limited access to ------- -------- and my ------- all but gone, I --- not sure what to do.>**

 

The girl tilted her head as she struggled to process what was being said. She could not hear the words, but they were clear in her ears and mind, but also not clear? Her head started to throb.

 

**< Ah, -- apologies...> ** the man was suddenly, or always, right by her side. He placed his hand on her forehead. She flinched as a cold, icy feeling seemed to seep from his hands. ** <Ahh, once again, my apologies.>**

 

He breathed on his hand and placed it back on her head. It did not help the cold, but she found that she was able to understand him better while his hand was on her head.

 

**< Better? Excellent. I have a great deal to explain and much less time to spend.>** He pondered a moment before continuing.  **< I will not waste any more time with meaningless information. You are my last hope at redemption. You will be my last chance to make up for all my past failures. This time I will succeed.>**

 

The man grabbed the girls face with both hands and stared into her eyes. The girl felt a pulse building in her chest.

 

**< My experiments all failed, the last leading to my 'demise'...>** the sad look in his eyes betrayed the ecstatic look on his face,  **< Six came before you...but none of them found it. They did not have what it takes...not enough...>**

 

The girls eyes grew wider as she felt the pulse in her chest growing stronger. Warmer.

 

**< Too many failures. Too many sacrifices. But I cannot stop. WE cannot stop!>** His eyes were glowing bright and his face seemed to crack. Or was it always cracked?  **< You. You will be the last. My last attempt. My last success. My greatest success!>**

 

The pulsing was now a brilliant hum of energy; overflowing and electric.

 

**< I give to you the last that I have to offer. My past, my present, my hopes, my dreams...>** The cracks in his face grew larger and his voice began to resonate with the vibrations in the girls chest.  **< I am giving you all the tools I have left...though it may take some time before you are able to truly grasp their uses.>**

 

The girl felt her very being tear from her body. A small red heart radiated magnificently before her eyes. A bright red...and something more? Her mind went blank as the time that had seemed to stop started to wind up. The air began to circulate. Everything started to fade away and she felt a knot entangling the pit of her stomach as gravity once again took hold of her. 

 

**< The last thing I am giving you, is something I was never able to truly harness. It destroyed me after many others but I know that for you it will bolster your greatest strength...>** all that was left was a voice. A voice that spoke the last words of a man that never was...

 

**< I am giving you...my DETERMINATION.>**

 

Two red eyes shot open, panicked breathes breaking the silence. Chara quickly surveyed her surroundings, trying to confirm that she is indeed still alive and present. She brought a hand to her forehead, feeling her hair slick against it. Chara sighed, taking some comfort in the weight on her chest, once again confirming that she is still alive. Weight? The older girl pulled back the blanket that had appeared to reveal the younger girl clinging to her underneath. The subtle rise and fall of the girls back and relaxed breathing showed that she was in a deep sleep. Chara could feel herself blush a bit, a smile creeping on her lips. She took the hand that was already free and brushed aside Frisks hair. Pulling the blanket back over the smaller girl, Chara readjusted herself to get more comfortable. Any hopes of getting up were dashed by the thin arms wrapped around her other arm and waist, so she resigned herself to her current spot on the couch.

 

The living room was dark, the cold air seeming to get colder as Chara nestled further under the blanket with Frisk. Her mind wandered back to the dream. Nightmare? It was unlike anything Chara has ever experienced. It felt too real to be a dream; the feeling of life draining from her. The pain. The blood. Was...was it a memory? Was it Frisks memory? Chara swallowed gingerly at the thought of the blood pouring from her neck. Determination. That word echoed in her mind as she went over his last words. Gaster’s last words. That had to be Gaster. Chara never knew any specifics, but Gaster would always visit Asgore and talk about the different projects he was working on. He would also bring toys and art supplies for her and…

 

Chara freed her other arm and pulled Frisk closer. She buried her face in the younger girls hair, attempting to push down the painful memories. Frisk smelled strangely like...chocolate, with tinges of the antiseptic medicine Toriel had used. Her red eyes started to droop as she breathed in. That dream, or memory, or whatever it was, brought forth more questions than Chara could manage. She let those thoughts drift to the back of her mind as sleep pulled at her. Her breathing settled into a steady rhythm, her body relaxing.

 

Two blue eyes opened as Frisk tilted her head up to look at Chara. She buried her face back into the warmth of Chara, returning to a comfortable sleep she did not think was possible.

 

-    -    -

 

Papyrus awoke to a great new day. He had made two new friends the day before and today would be a new opportunity to impress them with how great he was. Taking care to ensure that his appearance was not anything short of perfect, Papyrus exited his room and made his way to the living room. His exceptional stealth abilities allowed him to enter the room without disturbing his young friends. Taking the greatest care, Papyrus peeked over the couch to check, finding Chara and Frisk to both still be asleep on the couch. The tall skeleton smiled to himself as he turned to the kitchen, deciding just how much spaghetti he should make for breakfast. Halfway through his cooking, Papyrus turned to start setting the table when his eye lights landed on the small form of Frisk standing at the kitchen entrance. Papyrus stood still, mouth slightly agape. He knew he was focusing hard on the masterpiece that was his spaghetti but for the small child to be even more adept at the art of stealth than he, The Great Papyrus…

 

“GOOD MORNING TINY HUMAN! I WAS JUST IN THE MIDDLE OF PREPARING BREAKFAST!” announced Papyrus, his voice surprisingly quiet. “IF YOU TAKE A SEAT AT THE TABLE, THE BEST SPAGHETTI YOU HAVE EVER TASTED WILL BE READY BEFORE YOU KNOW IT!”

 

Frisk nodded and took a seat at the table, watching Papyrus set the table and return to the pasta. She assessed the tall skeleton with wary eyes. His battle armor was well maintained, gleaming and spotless. The red scarf around his neck flowed graceful with his movements, never seeming to get in the way. Papyrus moved with swift efficiency, stirring and mixing ingredients with precision movements. The young girl frowned, the gap between how he acted and how he moved causing her to be even more wary. She suspected that the taller skeleton brother might be at least as skilled as the short one, if not as powerful. His taste for harsh combat is lacking though, from what she remembered last time they had met. Papyrus’ attacks were well controlled but lacked any severity. Frisk wondered if he had ever killed anything before.

 

“heh, careful kid.” Sans kicked his feet onto the kitchen table, leaning back in the chair. “you might burn a hole in my brother with all that staring.”

 

Sans had his trademark grin on, but the look in his eyes served as a warning to Frisk. A warning not to do anything she might regret.

 

“STARING? AH! THE TINY HUMAN MUST BE ENAMORED WITH MY IMPECCABLE COOKING PROWESS!” Papyrus puffed out his chest, one hand on his hip with the other hand place over where his heart would have been. “THIS IS NOTHING FOR ONE SUCH AS MYSELF!”

 

Frisk tilted her head and simply stared down the proud skeleton. Papyrus felt his grin widen as he took the deadpan stare as further admiration.

 

“heh.” Sans watched Frisk stare down the back of Papyrus’ head for awhile before his smile shrunk a bit. “hey, kid?”

 

Frisk visibly flinched when he addressed her directly. Her hands were gripping the table tightly. Sans dropped his feet off the table and leaned forward a bit. Before he could speak again, however, Frisk abruptly stood, her face tilted away from Sans direction, and retreated to the living room. Sans relaxed back into the chair, not sure whether he should feel offended. Probably not.

 

“WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE TINY HUMAN SANS? DID SOMETHING HAPPEN BETWEEN THE TWO OF YOU?”

 

Sans flinched a bit. Sometimes he wished his brother was not as perceptive as he was. “nah, it’s nothing. maybe she just couldn’t handle the  **heat** …”

 

“SANS…”

 

“her admiration for your mad skills was brought to a…”

 

“SANS, NO!”

 

“ **boil** .”

 

“SANS!!”

 

Frisk could hear San and Papyrus from the kitchen as she cursed herself for being such a coward. She could feel Gasterisk trying to bubble to the surface, but Frisk did not need her. Not right now. She would get through this. Get over it. Frisk sat down on the couch, careful not to wake Chara. The older girl was still bundled in the blanket, sleeping peacefully as the younger girl watched.

 

“TINY HUMAN! BREAKFAST IS READY! COULD YOU PLEASE WAKE THE OTHER LESS TINY HUMAN?”

 

Papyrus had his head poked out of the kitchen and Frisk waved her hand at him in acknowledgement. She gentle shook Chara, trying to rouse the sleeping girl. When that failed she tried patting her on the face, her lack of voice finally starting to upset her. A quiet whisper in her mind, that she figured to be Gasterisk, gave her pause. Her cheeks burned as she wished she could reach into her brain and silence the mouthy parasite. Frisk looked at Charas sleeping face, her eyes resting on her lips. The whisper offered an alternative that Frisk found more acceptable than the initial proposition. She carefully leaned over Chara, brushing her hair aside, and started to blow air into her ear. At first the reaction was minimal, but suddenly Chara shot up, smacking her head against Frisk’s.

 

“Ow! What--? What is going on? What were you doing?” Chara rubbed her head, trying to fight off the pain and sleep.

 

Frisk grabbed Chara’s hand, “ _ You wouldn’t wake up. Gasterisk said to try blowing in your ear. _ ”

 

The small girl rubbed her own forehead with her free hand. Chara could feel the heat on her face as she processed what Frisk just said.

 

“Why on earth would you listen to her?” Chara sat up on the couch, Frisk’s small hand clasped in hers.

 

“ _ I’m sorry. _ ”

 

Chara frowned, the smell of spaghetti addling her brain further.

 

“It is fine...I take it that breakfast is ready?”

 

Frisk nodded and the two girls made their way to the kitchen. They took seats at the table, Frisk making sure to sit between Chara and Sans despite the ache in her stomach. Sans took care not to stare at the girl or say too much. Chara and Papyrus could sense the tense atmosphere. Papyrus gave her a smile as he set out the spaghetti.

 

“THIS IS PROBABLY MY BEST BATCH OF SPAGHETTI YET! I DO HOPE YOU ENJOY THIS, THE MOST EXQUISITE OF PASTAS!”

 

Sans was the first to take a bite. The lights from his eyes disappeared, his smile wavering.

 

“mmm, y-you sure outdid yourself this time bro.”

 

“INDEED!”

 

Chara was next, taking a small forkful of spaghetti. It looked fine enough to her so she proceeded to eat. The taste was like nothing she had ever experienced before. She forced herself to swallow before the urge to spit could take control.

 

“I-it is...really quite lovely, Mr. Papyrus…” Chara could already feel her stomach planning it’s rebellion.

 

“THERE IS NO NEED FOR SUCH FORMALITY AMONGST FRIENDS! PLEASE, CALL ME PAPYRUS! OR THE GREAT PAPYRUS!”

 

“R-right…”

 

Frisk was the last to start eating, her brow furrowed at the strained reactions of the other two. She took her first bite. She chewed a bit before tilting her head to the side. The small girl then proceeded to continue eating quietly. Sans and Chara watched on in a weird mix of horror and admiration. Papyrus nodded proudly as he watched the small girl finish her plate.

 

“WOULD YOU LIKE SECONDS?”


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Updates will probably be around once a week, probably. Maybe. I had a lot of momentum going into this but then i got sick and now I'm just trying to not burn out on this. Would rather slow down how often a chapter goes up than put out short even more bad chapters than what Im currently producing. But ya, rabbling over. Thanks for taking the time to read my fanfic :|

Sans, Chara and Frisk sat on the couch while Papyrus did the dishes. Chara separated Sans and Frisk as the skeleton tried his best not to stare at Frisk. The fact that she apparently had an iron stomach that could withstand Papyrus’ cooking did not help. The older girl leaned towards the younger, lowering her voice to avoid Papyrus overhearing from the kitchen.

 

“Are you okay? You did not have to eat that second serving…” Chara squeezed Frisks hand, concern in her eyes.

 

Frisk squeezed back and nodded, “It wasn’t that bad.”

 

Chara scrunched her face at that comment and let out a small sigh. Sans watched the two girls and felt himself relax. The previous timeline felt like some sort of fluke to him. He leaned back, kicking his feet up onto the table.

 

“so, what are your plans now? the two of you.” Sans glanced over at the two girls, one eye closed.

 

“...” Chara gave Frisk a look. The younger girl nodded her head, causing Chara to relax a bit.

 

Sans held back a small chuckle. _They must be able to talk to each other somehow._

 

“We...we need to speak to my fa--, I mean, the King.”

 

“hmm…” Sans scratched the back of his skull in thought, “i can take you to the king, but...i would be going over undyne’s head. i’m not about to tip that barrel of fish.”

 

“Does she not obey the King?” Chara gave Sans a curious look.

 

“she does...but it would cause unnecessary tension if I go behind her back. knowing her stubborn personality, she would be itching for an excuse to cause trouble.”

 

Chara frowned, remembering the trouble Frisk had fighting Undyne. Even with her new power, Chara did not want Frisk to resort to fighting. Frisk could understand their concern, but she could also understand Undyne. As someone who knows what it is like to be given a mission, being forced to give up when you can still continue is…

 

“What?” Chara turned to Frisk, Sans waiting for their silent conversation to play out.

 

The older girls face scrunched up more and more until Sans was sure she was about to implode. Chara let out an exasperated sigh as she slump her shoulders, falling back into the couch in defeat.

 

“Can you or your brother arrange a meeting with Undyne?” Chara could feel the aftershocks of the earlier rebellion in her stomach as the words left her mouth.

 

“uh, yeah, probably?” Sans sat himself up, curiosity getting the better of him. “i hope you two aren’t planning anything **fishy**.”

 

Chara rolled her eyes as she threw another scathing look at Frisk. The younger girl let the look slide right off as she stood up and started to stretch. Sans tilted his head and gave Chara a questioning look.

 

“She…” Chara resigned herself one more time. “She wants to challenge Undyne to...a duel.”

 

The lack of eye lights and witty pun drew out a empathetic nod from Chara.

 

-    -    -

 

Papyrus led the small group to Undyne’s house. He was more than willing to introduce the two girls since he received training from her around this time. A few knocks on the door and a moment later, the blue fish monster answered the door in her casual wear. She gave Papyrus a toothy grin before her eyes settled on the two, clearly human, girls and Sans further back. Undyne gave both of the skeletons withering glares before shoving her way past the taller one. Frisk put herself between Undyne and Chara. Before Undyne could summon a spear and before the nervous Papyrus could intervene, Chara gathered her courage.

 

“W-We challenge you to a duel!” Her rosy cheeks flushed a bit more at the squeaky tone of her voice. “We need to see the King, if we win you have to let us pass.”

 

Undyne raised an eyebrow at the girl, and then gave the smaller girl an appraisive once over. Her toothy grin returned as she put her hands on her hips.

 

“Heh, I like your style, punks.” She crossed her arms and nodded her head. “I couldn’t call myself the head of the Royal Guard if I ran from a challenge. Especially one offered by two pipsqueaks.”

 

Frisk leaned into Chara a bit, the older girl nodded her head slightly.

 

“It will be a one versus one, you versus Frisk.” The mentioned girl stepped forward, no hesitation. “No magic, no weapons. We already stated what we want if we win. If we lose...you are free to do with us as you wish.”

 

Annoyance flashed across her features for a moment. Undyne was about to complain about being matched against the shrimpier of the two girls, until she caught the look in Frisk’s eyes. The small girl had opened her eyes, the brilliant blues burning with confidence. With determination. The fish monsters sharp teeth glinted as she uncrossed her arms and gave her opponent the respect she deserved.

 

“Alright, that’s fine with me. Hey, bonehead!”

 

“heh, which one?”

 

“You! You numbskull…”

 

“well, it is pretty cold in Snowdin.” His grin stretching a few teeth wider. “enough to chill you to the **bone**.”

 

“SANS!!”

 

“Enough! Just come here and judge the fight!” Undyne grinded her teeth as the smaller skeleton shrugged his shoulders and dragged his feet.

 

“The first one to be knocked down loses.” Chara added quickly.

 

“Aw, it’s not a duel to the death? That would have been way more awesome.” Undyne clicked her tongue.

 

Sans positioned himself off to the side between Frisk and Undyne. He raised a bony hand in the air and checked to see if the two combatants were ready.

 

“uh, start i guess.” Sans let his arm drop to his side.

 

“Really?” Undyne shot the skeleton a look before turning her attention to Frisk.

 

Frisk was completely still, slightly crouched with her arms out to the sides. Undyne was not incredibly well train, depending mostly on brute strength and magic, but she received enough training from Asgore to know a skilled fighter when she sees one. The younger girl patiently waited in her spot, watching Undyne. Waiting for her to make the first move. The fish monster was a woman of action, not content to wait so she was happy to oblige the human. With a powerful push, she launched herself forward, charging at Frisk.

 

“Why is she not moving?” Chara whispered to herself.

 

Frisk held her ground, eyes locked onto Undyne as she drew closer. When Frisk was within her arms length, Undyne swung her arm out in a powerful punch. Ceasing her chance, Frisk ducked below the attack, positioning herself below Undyne. The world flipped on its head as Undyne found herself lying flat on her back, Frisk standing behind her.

 

“heh, well would you look at that.” Sans let out a slow whistle.

 

“THAT...THAT…” Papyrus was absolutely sparkling. “THAT WAS MAGNIFICENT, TINY HUMAN!”

 

Chara let out a small sigh, feeling herself relax as the tension was broken by the two skeletons. Frisk had waited until the last minute to counter Undyne’s reckless attack with a throw, using the monsters own momentum against her. Undyne laid on the ground for a few more moments before she let out a hearty laugh. She got off the ground and dusted herself off, turning to the small human girl with a smile on her face. Frisk took an involuntary step back when the fish monster started stomping towards her but felt herself relax, uncharacteristically, when a blue arm wrapped around her shoulder pulling her in close.

 

“That was some move you pulled there!” Undyne’s toothy grin was wide, her eye full of respect. “That was that whole ‘use your opponent’s strength against them’ thing, right? I think Asgore tried to teach me that stuff but I was more about overwhelming them with my badassness!”

 

Undyne flexed her other arm while laughing.

 

“Well, a deal’s a deal. But after you take care of your biz with Asgore, I want you to come back for some sparring.” Undyne crossed her arms. “I can’t say I’m not a bit miffed at losing but I think understand a bit better what Asgore said. So I figure I can only get better if I learned more…”

 

“technique.” Sans was tucked under Papyrus’ arm.

 

“Yeah! Techniques and stuff! No point in being the strongest motherfucker around if I can’t hit shit.”

 

“UNDYNE! THE CHILDREN!” Papyrus tried to cover Chara’s ears, almost dropping Sans in the process.

 

“Oh, my bad, fuhuhu.” Her smile shrinking into a more sheepish one.

 

“well, i guess we can go ahead and visit the king. i honestly expected this to be more trouble.” Sans yawned as he let one eye close.

 

“I HOPE YOU DON’T THINK I WILL BE CARRYING YOU ALL THE WAY THROUGH HOTLAND!”

 

“na bro, i figure me and the two kids can just take a shortcut. maybe you could give alphys a heads up, undyne?”

 

“Yeah sure, I needed to give her a call anyway.” Undyne rubbed her neck nervously.

 

Frisk and Chara watched the monsters chatter away. Chara found herself smiling, thinking of how differently things had been before. Frisk had been watching the group as well, until she brushed something off Chara’s shoulder.

 

“What? Was there something on me?” Chara tried to look over her shoulder.

 

Frisk shook her head and earned a curious look. Once Chara had turned back to the monsters, something about cooking lessons and shouting, Frisk turned her back to the ruckus and opened her hand. A small spider was curled up in her palm, shaking slightly. She gently patted the spider with her pinky, rubbing it softly on its back. The spider stopped shaking and slowly uncurled. Frisk wondered if this was also a monster, since it seemed different than normal spiders she had seen. She gave the spider a small smile and lowered it to the ground. After a few moments of contemplation, the spider hopped off her hand and scurried off into the shadows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S. - No matter how long it takes, even if I can't put a chapter up for months, I will finish this fanfic. So no worries :|


	15. Chapter 15

Sans teleported himself and the two girls outside the doors to the throne room. Chara swept a sweaty hand through her hair, her nerves starting to show. Frisk gave the other hand a small squeeze. Sans used his power to push open the heavy doors and stepped through. The familiar looming figure of the king was crouched among the flowers, humming quietly to himself. At the sound of the doors opening, the king stood to his full height and slowly turned to face Sans. The surprised looked on his face turned to relief when he saw the smiling skeleton.

 

“Howdy! It is not often that you visit, Sans.” The kings deep voice echoed through the room. “How is your brother, Papyrus?”

 

“heh, he’s doin’ great, thanks for asking.” Sans’ smile widened just a bit.

 

“That is good...very good. So, what brings you here this day?” Asgore hovered near the throne, but did not sit.

 

“well, I have a couple of guests who wished to speak with you.” Sans closed an eye. “you might want to sit down for this.”

 

“Haha, I think I can handle a few guests. Please, show them in.”

 

Two small figures, slowly appeared from behind Sans. Two young girls holding hands stood before the king of monsters. The smaller girl, in her hooded sweater, faced him without fear. The taller girl, in her green and yellow sweater, kept her head down. She flinched at the sudden choked noise that came from the king.

 

“C...Chara? My child...is it…” Tears were already running down his face. “Is it really you?”

 

Frisk pulled her hand from Chara’s and gently pushed the girl forward. When Chara raised her head, tears and snot marred her face, causing Asgore to let out a deep, belly laugh. Large, fuzzy hands reached out and swept up the red-eyed girl, pulling her close into a bear hug. The two spun around the room, Chara soon laughing along with her adoptive father. Sans could not help but laugh also. Frisk just watched on quietly. Asgore placed Chara on the ground before falling onto his backside.

 

“Oh, my child, how I have missed you!” He ruffled Chara hair. “I am afraid to ask how, in fear that I might wake up from this wonderful dream.”

 

“I am not really sure how…” Chara averted her eyes.

 

“Well, it does not matter. All that matters is that you are here now!” His booming laugh was contagious as Chara was smiling ear to ear.

 

Sans chuckled to himself before glancing at Frisk. His chuckle caught in his throat. Frisk had her eyes open, the bright blue orbs were glazed over. It was a difficult expression to interpret. She looked...empty. That was all Sans could think of; empty. He shuffled nervously before stepping a bit closer to the girl (not too close though).

 

“hey, you okay kid?”

 

Frisk startled at his voice, turning to look him in the eyes. She slowly nodded her head before closing her eyes again, the empty look a thing of the past. Sans filed this moment away in his mind, just in case. Though she was infinitely better than the previous timeline, he was still not ready to take any unnecessary risks. Asgore walked over, Chara holding onto one of his fingers.

 

“And who is this?” Asgore smiled brightly at Frisk.

 

“This is Frisk, she was there when I woke up and has been with me the entire time.”

 

“I see, thank you, Frisk, for keeping my daughter company.” Chara blushed a bit when he called her his daughter and Frisk gave him a curt nod.

 

“And thank you Sans, for getting these two here safely. I cannot imagine that it was easy...with the way things are now.” His voice became quieter.

 

“heh, it was easier than you’d have expected.” Sans put up his hands and shrugged. “that small one beat undyne in a duel. over in an instant.”

 

“Golly! Is this true?”

 

Chara smiled as Frisk nodded, her face turning a light pink.

 

“Incredible…” Asgore leaned back, gesturing Frisk and Sans to sit.

 

The group of four sat in a small circle, the golder flowers surrounding them.

 

“So…” Asgore stroked his beard, not sure where to start. “I take it that you two know the current state of the Underground.”

 

Chara and Frisk nodded.

 

“Well, that makes things a bit easier…” The large goat monster sighed. “I...I have done things. Terrible things. I may have done them for the sake of my people...but it does not excuse the fact that I was wrong…”

 

Sans had his eyes closed, the conversation seeming to weigh on him as well.

 

“It is okay, Father.” Chara placed a hand on his. “I understand...and…”

 

She looked at Frisk who answered with a nod.

 

“I think we may have a way to break the barrier.” Asgore gave Chara a shocked looked, one that Sans also had. “And you will not have to kill another human.”

 

“How--” Asgore quickly turned to Frisk. “No. I cannot, will not, ask either of you to sacrifice yourselves just to spare my feelings!”

 

“No! I did not mean that. I meant that there is...a different way.”

 

Asgore relaxed a bit but did not seem completely convinced. A sudden pressure had Asgore and Sans on guard, but it quickly diminished itself to a low buzz of radiant magic.

 

**Perhaps I can explain.**

 

Frisk was leaned back, her legs cross out in front of her. Black ink dripped from her eyes and a messy grin stretched across her face.

 

“What is going?” Asgore had placed an arm in front of Chara.

 

**It is fine, Asgore. You can call me Gasterisk. You could also say we were old friends.**

 

Asgore felt a head splitting pain for a moment, before the connections in his memories started to rebuild. He placed a shaky hand on his head before looking at Gasterisk with renewed understanding.

 

“G-Gaster?”

 

**Nah. I just have all of his memories and knowledge and wisdom and some of his character flaws, but I’m afraid the Gaster you knew is gone.**

 

“Gone...how?”

 

**Hmm, you were close friends with Gaster so I think me and you can talk in depth on this later, for now I should just explain the possible plan for the barrier.**

 

“...” Asgore sighed deeply and nodded. “Yes, you are right. Thank you for being honest. And thank you for the consideration.”

 

**No problem, King Fluffybuns.**

 

Chara sputtered as she tried to hold in her laughter. Sans completely lost it. Asgore let out a hearty laugh.

 

 **Heehee, well, I guess I should start by saying that I don’t really know if my plan will work. And I don’t know what will happen to me.** Or Frisk, she thought to herself.

 

“What do you mean?” Chara had a serious look on her face.

 

 **I might just be considerably weaker or disappear or something.** Gasterisk shrugged. **Frisk would still have her magic probably.**

 

“You do not sound very sure about this…” Asgore looked concerned.

 

**Yes! Because I don’t know what will happen. But it will be fine, I guess.**

 

“you guess?” Sans felt a little exhausted whenever Gasterisk turned up to talk.

 

**Do you all really have a choice? Who knows when another human will fall down here. And I won’t let you use Frisk.**

 

Asgore flinched guiltily while Sans simply shrugged his shoulders.

 

**Hmm, if it will help settle some doubts, I can run the numbers with your Royal Scientist. The yellow one.**

 

“Alphys.” Asgore corrected.

 

**Yes. I can put Gaster’s intelligence to some use.**

 

“Well, that would be a start. Not only for your sake, and Frisk’s, but I would rather not have anything reckless done to the barrier. The potential for power backlash could devastate the Underground.”

 

 **I don’t think it would be that bad…** Gasterisk pouted a bit, earning a small smile from Asgore.

 

The King thought back to the times he had to practically force Gaster to rethink his more dangerous plans.

 

As the group continued to converse, a lone robed figure quietly walked into the throne room. Asgore was the first to notice them, his words getting caught in his throat. Chara was next, her face getting paler as she slowly shuffled herself backwards into the folds of Asgore’s cape. Sans gave the two a curious look before turning to face the source of their terror. The lights from his eyes vanished as he thought about teleporting away. Gasterisk was the last to face the intruder. Black, inky orbs met with red furious eyes.

 

**Oh hey, it’s goat mom.**


	16. Chapter 16

Sans and Chara waited outside the throne room as Toriel, Asgore and Gasterisk had what the female goat monster referred to as a “happy chat”. The pair sat in silence for about ten minutes before Sans decided to ask Chara a question.

 

“hey kid, what do you make of her?”

 

“What do I make of who?”

 

“the other kid, Frisk.”

 

“Why do you ask?”

 

“...” Sans thought carefully about his next words. “well, i’m sure a smart kid like you could guess, but somethin’s not right about her.”

 

“That is…” Chara grabbed at her shorts. “She...Frisk has been through a lot.”

 

Sans simply nodded his head a bit, “did she tell you what?”

 

“No...I saw it in a dream; a nightmare, rather. I think it was leftover from when I was a spirit. It was right before she fell into the Underground.”

 

Chara ran a hand through her hair, “She seemed to be running from something. There was blood and…”

 

Sans thought back to Gasterisk’s warning about the surface.

 

“Frisk is not bad...she is just…” Chara did not want to repeat Gasterisk’s word for it. Broken.

 

Sans sighed and placed a bony hand on her head. “you’re definitely the king and queen’s kid. too nice for your own good.”

 

Chara smiled a little at the compliment, thinking that this skeleton was not so bad.

 

“and...i have to say i agree with you. she’s not a bad kid, but i won’t ignore the fact that she’s probably the most dangerous force in the Underground.”

 

The smile on her face disappeared. She shook off the hand on her head and crouched down.

 

“She has kept her word so far...she is the most aware of how dangerous she is--was.” Chara stood up again, a look filled with determination on her face. “Everyone deserves a second chance.”

 

Sans closed an eye chuckled, “well, you got me there, kiddo.”

 

Their conversation was interrupted by the doors to the throne room suddenly opening. A weary Asgore poked his head out, beckoning the two of them with a tired smile. Once everyone was gathered in the room once again, Toriel poured two additional cups of tea at a table that had been set up.

 

“Please, sit. Now that I have been all caught up, we can all have a proper conversation.”

 

Asgore nervously sipped his tea, Sans and Chara following suit. Gasterisk sat next to Toriel, beaming quietly to herself. Chara found herself curious as to what put her in such a good mood.

 

“After hearing the full story…” Though not the actual full story, guessed Chara, “I must say that I somewhat understand...not to say I am not a bit disappointed.”

 

Chara slumped a bit at her words.

 

“However, I am sure you both had a good reason.” Toriel smiled and Chara sat up a bit.

 

**Heehee, this is great. Everyone on the same page. For the most part.**

 

“I appreciate you watching over our Chara and Frisk, Aster.”

 

Aster, formerly Gasterisk, grinned from ear to ear, her inky smile dripping down her face.

 

“Aster?” Chara tilted her head, looking to Aster for answer.

 

**Yes! My new name.**

 

“I figured that ‘Gasterisk’ was such a rough name for such a cute girl.” Aster puffed out her chest with pride. “So I shortened it to Aster. She is neither Gaster nor Frisk, so she should have her own name.”

 

**Thanks goat mom.**

 

Toriel smiled brightly at being called ‘mom’ by a new child. She secretly hoped that Frisk would eventually warm up to her this much. Chara smiled and turned to her father. Asgore, despite the earlier awkwardness, was smiling at Toriel also.

 

“Ahem, well, this has been an eventful day to say the least.” Asgore stood and placed a hand on Chara’s head. “If you would, my child, could you go with Aster to see Alphys?”

 

“Of course, Father.” Chara finished her tea and pushed out her chair.

 

She gave Toriel and Asgore hugs and waited for Aster by the door.

 

**We shall meet again!** Aster gave a dramatic bow and followed after Chara.

 

Once the doors had closed, Asgore dropped in his seat and sighed. Toriel, while still unsure of her feelings, placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. Sans scratched his head.

 

“so, uh, i figure ga--i mean, aster had some glum news for you?” Sans closed one eye.

 

“Haha, glum would be one word for it.” Asgore interlaced his fingers as he leaned forward onto the table. “I will need you to bring Undyne here. As well as Gerson.”

 

The lights disappeared from Sans eyes. “you don’t mean _ that _ gerson…?”

 

Asgore nodded grimly and sighed again.

 

“the kid mentioned that the surface might not be all sunshine and daisies but...that bad?”

 

“That bad…” Toriel took a shaky sip of her tea.

 

-    -    -

 

Chara and Aster made their way from the castle back to Alphys’ lab. Aster made popping noises and skipped around.

 

“Is Frisk alright?”

 

**Hm? Do you miss her?** Aster grinned, dripping ink onto her sweater before it disappeared.

 

“I-I am just worried about her since you have been in control for quite some time.” Chara quickened her pace.

 

**That hurts my feelings a bit, but Frisk is fine. I haven’t used any magic so she should be fine with a nap later.** Aster pranced after Chara.  **We were just having a delightful chat.**

 

“Oh? About what?” Chara feigned disinterest.

 

**How nice your butt is.**

 

Chara stopped in her tracks and slowly turned to Aster, her face bright red. “Wha--?”

 

Before Chara could finish the question, Aster made a terrified face and started mumbling.

 

**I-I was just kidding! Just a harmless joke, heehee.** Aster nervously giggled and looked at Chara.  **Sorry ‘bout that, haha.**

 

Chara scrunched up her face, wondering how much of that was directed at her or Frisk, and continued to the lab. Aster had quieted down and did not say much until they arrived at the lab. Alphys opened the door, nervously rambling about how Sans had contacted her and they could talk in her office. Mettaton rolled by on their wheels, taking note of their new guests. Aster could not help herself and flipped their switch when their back was turned. The resulting transformation was a spectacle that had Aster giggling like a loon. Aster and Mettaton firmly shook hands over the mutual appreciation for this new form and the subsequent sequence.

 

“H-how did you know what that s-switch would do?” Alphys asked curiously.

 

**I didn’t.** Aster smiled as she took in the lab.

 

“And y-you still flipped it…?”

 

**Yes! For science.**

 

Alphys let a small smile curl at the edges her mouth. She led Aster into her office while Chara waited outside with Mettaton.

 

“S-so, I got the b-basic idea of the situation from Sans.” Alphys fidgeted as she organized some notes. “I think that, w-while you would be able to b-break the barrier...it would be d-dangerous to proceed without more information.”

 

**I see. If I remember Gaster’s memories right, you have some equipment that can measure my magical output?**

 

“I-I do! Fascinating...we r-really must talk more about G-Gaster while we work s-so I can trigger the recall.”

 

**Sure thing, Yellow.**

 

Aster and Alphys set to work on gathering data on the extent of Frisk’s magical strength. Every bit of information was crucial, according to the Royal Scientist. Outside, Mettaton had started to lecture Chara on proper hair care and other ladylike topics.

 

“Darling, please. Your hair is absolutely  _ gorgeous _ . To keep it short like this is nothing short of criminal.”

 

“I think..it is fine this way…” Chara pulled at her hair. “If I let it get too long it starts to get in the way.”

 

“You just need to learn. And I am the perfect instructor.” Mettaton gave her a saucy wink. “With a little bit of effort and even less makeup, we can take your already marvelous looks and enhance them further!”

 

Chara blushed, not used to such praise. While her manners have always been good, Chara had always been a bit of a tomboy. She was not partial to skirts or dresses and did not like being treated like something fragile.

 

“N-nonsense.”

 

“Non non, my dear! Silky, smooth hair, soft lips and,  _ oomph _ , those eyes. Beautiful ruby eyes. Not flaunting all that you have would be such a waste.”

 

Chara scrunched her face and pulled at her hair again. “Perhaps…”

 

“That’s the spirit! A little bit for now, though. You are still young and full of boundless potential! Once you are older, we can utilize all the tricks of the trade.”

 

“Tricks?” Chara gave Mettaton a dubious look.

 

“Makeup, my lovely, is its own form of magic.”

 

An explosion put an end to their conversation. The two rushed towards the source to find Alphys huddled behind a control panel. The dust and smoke cleared and Aster walked out of the destruction, completely unharmed.

 

**Well, sorry about that. Did we get any data?**

 

“I-I think so!” Alphys called.

 

Chara sighed and fell to her knees as the tension was dispelled. Mettaton helped Alphys up, dusting her off.

 

“Really, Alphys my dear, you need to be more careful.”

 

“I’m sorry. I d-didn’t expect her to have s-so much magic.”

 

**Well, Gaster was one of the most powerful monsters in the Underground. Add to that Frisk’s determination and some other stuff…** Aster gave them a wry smile.

 

“W-wow. Wow wow wow.” Alphys pulled out a notebook and started scribbling furiously. “Determination and m-magic? Combined?! You must tell me more!”

 

**Yes, I think it’s the result of his experiments with human souls and their traits. Too much for monsters…**

 

Alphys flinched at this statement.

 

**But perfectly suited for a human. He gave Frisk his magic and also whatever...extra determination?**

 

Alphys could feel the pain associated with recall sparking in her mind but she was too enthralled by this outstanding information to notice.

 

“I-I knew there was something f-familiar about the research I found…” Her pen scratched across the pages, “There was n-no way I could have s-started it, but I r-remembered working on it…”

 

**Hmm. I think I’m having what smart people call an epiphany.**

 

“Really?!” Her small tail was shaking in anticipation.

 

**Do...do I write it down? Say it out loud? I’ve never had a genius moment before!**

 

Alphys quickly handed Aster a pen and note bad of her own.

 

**Okay. Let’s see.**

 

Aster sat on the floor, quickly penning her thoughts onto the notepad. She flipped to the next blank page, filling each one with words and diagrams. After about thirty minutes of writing, the pen dropped to the floor.

 

**Done! That was some effort. Maximum effort even.**

 

Alphys picked up the notepad and studied the contents. “U-um…”

 

“What’s wrong dear?” Mettaton leaned over her shoulder to sneak a peek. “What in the Underground is this?”

 

Chara walked over and looked at the page. It was covered in weird symbols, hands and shapes spreading across the paper. Complicated diagrams and charts broken up the symbols, adding to the chaos. Alphys could feel the memories of all the uninterpretable notes Gaster would give her flooding back. She would always have to take his notes back to him and ask that he translate them, or take them to Sans if Gaster was too far gone in his research.

 

“I-I can somewhat understand the d-diagrams, but I d-don’t know what the rest means.”

 

**Hmm. Well that’s annoying. Guess we have to give up.**

 

Alphys looked devastated. Mettaton looked amused. Chara looked exhausted.

  
**Come on! I’m just kidding…** Aster crossed her arms and pouted.  **I’ll read it back to you, I guess.**


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late chapter. I actually had it finished and forgot to upload it, lel.

Several weeks went by as Alphys worked through the calculations and theories provided by Aster. Sans was brought on board to provide assistance since Aster could not be available at all times, for Frisk’s sake. The young girl spent a good amount of those weeks resting and sleeping when she was in control. Her appetite was stronger than ever, which had Toriel relieved. Chara was less than pleased but she tried her best not to show it. Spending time with her mother and father, as well as the other monsters, helped distract her from the concerns that filled her mind. The older girl wanted to give Aster a piece of her mind, but she knew that it would not change anything. She found herself feeling oddly possessive of Frisk lately. Toriel found this new side of her daughter to be rather amusing, as she so often liked to point out. Chara waved away the feeling as normal, considering how frail Frisk was when she was not throwing monsters over her shoulder.

 

On a day where Frisk was feeling particularly well, Undyne had challenged Frisk to another sparring match. Interested in the tiny human’s combat prowess, both Asgore and Gerson had come to spectate this uncanny matchup. Whatever their expectations, the result was the same anticlimactic end. Gerson let out a low whistle as Asgore let out a hearty chuckle. Undyne herself was laughing as she accepted Frisk’s hand and dusted herself off. Not phased by another loss, Undyne gave Frisk a friendly slap on the shoulder. Asgore expressed his admiration for the tiny human as Gerson gave her a quiet nod of approval. Frisk simply returned the nod and listened as the two veterans gave Undyne the rundown of everything she could improve. To their shock and delight, the fish monster was eager to listen.

 

How Frisk spent the rest of her time was a mystery. Chara found that no one, not even Alphys with her many cameras, knew where the younger human would disappear to. She would always come back to the castle for dinner. Toriel had moved back to the castle, much to the delight of Chara and her father, and made it a point to make sure they always had dinner together. Once a week, she would have all the boss monsters over for a special dinner. Her motherly passion overwhelmed all challengers and everyone attended, no matter how busy. And Frisk was no exception. The girl was smart enough to know what would happen if she ever missed one of these dinners. Chara had asked on several occasions where Frisk was when she was not resting or with her. Each time Frisk simply told Chara that she was having some quiet time. The vague nature of her answer annoyed Chara but she did not say anything. Partly because she felt it was selfish, partly because she could understand Frisk wanting to be alone sometimes.

 

While she has definitely been getting better, more willing to interact with others, Frisk was still uncomfortable being surrounded by so many people she did not know. Trust was a strong point of contention between Frisk and Chara. Her short, very short, list of trusted individuals was limited to Chara. She could tolerate Toriel and Asgore simply through their connection to Chara. Papyrus seemed to also be in the running for a spot on the list, but it was unlikely for now. Everyone else was a threat. No matter how much she tried, Chara could not convince Frisk that she was safe. Sans was well aware of the younger girls disposition so he tried to keep his appearances around her infrequent. He seemed to understand her a bit better than before but he was not about to let his guard down around her either. The skeleton monster would check in during the Queen’s weekly dinners and whenever Aster stopped by to help Alphys. Chara was somewhat pleased to see Sans’ expression when watching Frisk slowly shift from calculated suspicion to something more gentle. She could not quite place the look, somewhere between pity and compassion. But the positive change was enough to put some of her worries to rest.

 

-    -    -

 

On a different day, where Frisk was feeling particularly unwell, she left for her quiet time after spending a bit of the morning with Chara. Red eyes followed her as she left, quietly wondering if she should follow Frisk. She thought against it, however, not wishing to put the first cracks in the fragile trust she had forged with the younger girl. Chara had been reading books on various topics, passing the time until dinner and Frisk’s return. She found that after spending so long trapped in the ruins, she was very eager to learn as much she could about pretty much everything. On the surface she had never thought much about what she would do when she was older. After spending countless years knowing that she would not get to do anything at all, the prospect of being able to decide her own future again filled her with a bright feeling. A determined feeling. A small smile grew on her face as she turned another page of the book. That smile quickly faded when she realized that it was nearly dinner and Frisk had not returned. Chara stood and left her books behind as she wandered the castle hoping to find Frisk washing up. When it became apparent that Frisk was not in the castle, Chara began to worry. Hoping that Frisk did not get lost, or worse, Chara decided to tell her father immediately.

 

“Hmm, are you sure she is not just...running late or something?” Asgore tugged on his beard, unconvinced by his own question.

 

“Would you be late for one of mother’s dinners?” replied Chara, equally unconvinced.

 

“No. No I would not.” Asgore stood and left to put out the word to the Royal Guard to be on the lookout for Frisk.

 

Chara stood nervously, unsure if she should go out and look for Frisk. As if he could read her mind, Asgore put a reassuring hand on her head and ruffled her hair gently.

 

“Do not worry, my child, We will find her. And…”

 

“And it would only make things more difficult if I were to get lost, too…” Chara pouted.

 

“While I do not doubt your abilities, there is much of the Underground I know you have yet to explore.”

 

Chara simply nodded.

 

Several hours had passed with no news of Frisk and Chara was now thoroughly upset. It was a mix of genuine concern over Frisk’s safety and guilt-dipped fear for the safety of any monsters she might have encountered while lost. Toriel paced nervously back and forth in the den, the fireplace casting shadows across the room as she moved. Asgore had left in the middle of dinner to take proper control of the search. Toriel did not question his decision, which demonstrated how worried she was. Chara ran a hand through her hair as she tried to settle the tension building in her stomach. Warm hands suddenly pulled her into a hug.

 

“Do not worry, Chara.” Toriel brushed aside some stray bangs, “I am sure everything is fine.”

 

Chara nodded into the robes without replying.

 

The sudden surge of noise and movement outside the den cause the two to jump. Toriel quickly moved to check what was happening when Asgore entered.

 

“We found her!” He pulled Toriel into a hug, beckoning for Chara as well.

 

The three hugged, smiles on their faces.

 

“She is at the lab with Alphys.” His wide smile shrank a bit. “She had a high fever but Alphys said that it was already starting to break, so Frisk should be fine with rest.”

 

Toriel tensed a bit, her eyes telling Asgore that she wanted to see the child. He chuckled a bit and led Toriel and Chara out of the castle as they all headed to the lab. When the group arrived, Mettaton led them to the infirmary area. Frisk was laying in a bed, dozens of wires connecting her to a variety of monitors displaying diagnostics. Alphys was busy taking notes and studying the data flowing across the screens. The scientist adjusted her glasses while squinting at a particular screen, unaware of the new guests. A young monster sat at Frisk’s bed, two hands holding the small girl’s own hand. Chara had never seen this monster before, but she was apparently acquainted with Frisk. The young monster turned to the new arrivals and smiled, two small fangs poking from her lips. Five eyes worked over the trio before the monster girl rose from her seat and dipped into a curtsy, bowing her head a bit.

 

“It is a pleasure to meet you again, my King and Queen~”  She frowned a bit as she raised her head. “Though I wish it had been under better circumstances.”

 

Two sets of her hands pressed out invisible wrinkles in her skirt, while the last set placed Frisk’s hand back under the covers, tucking the girl into the blankets. Chara tried to pick a set of arms to focus on and decided to just give up.

 

“You must be Chara, it is a delight to finally be able to meet you~” Muffet held out a hand, which Chara accepted.

 

“How…?” Chara tilted her head in confusion, trying to think of a time where she could have seen or met this monster.

 

“Ahuhu, I know everything there is to know in the Underground, my dear~”

 

Asgore laughed as he placed a hand on Chara’s head. “This is Muffet. It has indeed been a while since we have last had a chance to speak.”

 

“I was wondering if you had received the invitation I tried to send…” Toriel placed a hand on her face. “I was worried that it had missed you.”

 

“My deepest apologies, but I have been quite busy with certain personal affairs…” Muffet’s face sank a bit. “But thanks to my friend here, everything has been taken care of quite handily.”

 

Chara felt a twinge in her chest at this new information. Frisk had a friend? Were they even friends yet? She quickly filed away this bit of data for later.

 

“What happened?” Muffet turned to Asgore at his question.

 

“Well, as you know, the Spider Clan is one of the largest amongst the monsters…” Muffet started to wring a pair of her hands together. “I found out that a small group of my darling spiders were trapped in the Ruins. Being separated by Snowdin made any conventional trip impossible.”

 

“I did notice quite a few spiders during my time in the ruins…” Toriel had taken a seat on the other side of the bed.

 

“I had been busy attempting to raise money to provide safe transport, when…” Muffet trailed off for only a moment. “When Frisk happened along and offered to help me.”

 

Chara raised an eyebrow at the pause but said nothing.

 

“At first, I thought she was going to offer money, but to my surprise she said that she could teleport my cute spiders to me.”

 

Alphys, who had finally noticed the additional bodies in the room, had stood quietly, listening to the story.

 

“If I had known this would happen, I would have refused.” Muffet frowned a bit as she sat back down at Frisk’s bedside. “But she seemed confident and I was starting to lose hope of ever finding a way to rescue my lovelies.”

 

“So, this is because she used her magic?” Asgore turned to Alphys.

 

“I b-believe so.” She quickly checked through her notes. “Frisk has s-still not acclimated t-to her powers. It is a b-bit similar to how y-young monsters need time to g-grow into their magic.”

 

Toriel and Asgore both nodded, sad looks in their eyes. Memories of a young monster attempting to conjure fireballs drifted between their quick moment of eye contact. Chara gripped at her shorts, trying to ignore the sad looks on her parent’s faces.

 

“Honestly, Frisky here is a bit reckless for my tastes.” Muffet gently pulled at a lock of Frisk’s hair. “When one of my spiders told me that she had challenged Undyne to a duel I nearly spit out my tea!”

 

Asgore winced as Toriel gave him and Chara a ‘I already knew but I am disappointed that you hid this from me’ look that mothers are so proficient at.

 

“Were the spiders transported safely?” Toriel smoothy changed the subject, for Asgore’s benefit.

 

“Ahuhuhu, yes! I was quite surprised but delighted nonetheless~” Muffet placed her pairs of hands together. “But then I received the shock of my life when Frisk collapsed with a terrible fever.”

 

“I believe t-that while her control of her m-magic is exceptional, p-probably due to help f-from Aster…” Alphys adjusted her glasses again, “Her body s-simply can’t c-cope with the strain of using her magic. N-not yet at least.”

 

“How long will it take?” Chara was the one to ask a question this time.

 

“I-if we use a-adolescent monsters as a base, a-accounting for the unusual c-circumstances…”

 

Alphys ran some calculations in her head, mumbling and flipping through her messy notes.

 

“It would be a-around...t-two years...g-give or take a f-few months.”

 

“Two years?!” Chara exclaimed.

 

“That seems about right.” Toriel nodded her head. “Young  monsters usually take about a year at most to get used to their powers once they start to manifest. After that it is simply learning to control them”

 

“Yes, Frisk seems to be having the opposite problem. She can control her powers but her body is not yet used to the magic.” Asgore pulled on his beard as he thought out loud.

 

Alphys nodded and Muffet quietly played with Frisk’s hair, annoying Chara a bit.

 

“W-which leads me to the o-other...i-issue…” Alphys nervously set down her notes and took a seat on a different bed. “S-so, Aster and I have c-come to the conclusion that...F-Frisk should definitely be able to b-break the barrier. Safely.”

 

Everyone in the room brightened a bit, except Asgore who was the first to realize the problem.

 

“Safely...but only once she has fully adapted to her powers.”

 

Alphys gave the King a solemn nod.

 

“So...two years and all the monsters are free!” Chara stated, a smile on her face.

 

The monsters were a bit shocked at first. They had been so quick to despair at the thought of two more years. The right way to look at this was that they  _ only _ had two more years to wait. Asgore beamed proudly at his daughter, turning to his wife to see an equally proud smile on her face.

 

“Yes, Yes! You are right, my child! Two years compared to how long it has been! Haha! Two years and everything will change!” Asgore lifted Chara above his head, their laughter quickly infecting the rest of the room.

 

Muffet watched on in delight until a small hand grabbed at one of hers. She turned to see two blue eyes staring at the scene playing out in the infirmary. A deep emptiness filled them. Muffet opened her mouth to say something before a small squeeze brought her eyes to Frisk’s hand. When she looked back up, those blue eyes were closed and Muffet could hear her steady breathing as she drifted back to sleep. She closed another hand over Frisk’s and sighed, a slight smirk on her face.


	18. Chapter 18

The downtown air was crisp, morning fog still heavy in the air. Most businesses were still closed or just now beginning to prepare for the inevitable rush. The nondescript car rolled down the streets, its tinted windows reflecting the passing world. Inside, an older man was lost in thought as he flipped through some files. His gray eyes scanned across the pages before closing. Rubbing his eyes, the man fought back a yawn. It had been a hectic few days for him and his escorts. News of another assassination had triggered the stringent security protocols that had been put in place. In other words, an endless game of hopscotch; jumping from place to place, never staying in the same area for more than a day or so. As much as he understood the need, his patience was beginning to wear thin. Running was for cowards and people with something to hide. And he was no coward.

 

“Sir, we are here.” The driver stepped out of the car, closing the door behind him.

 

Several men in suits and sunglasses stepped out of the hotel, maintaining communication and confirming everything was clear before allowing the man to step out of the car. He took a moment to enjoy the fresh air when something bumped into his leg. Everything was a blur as he was quickly grabbed and guns were drawn. It was not until he noticed the little girl in a rabbit hoodie on the ground, her stuffed animal dropped by her side, that he was able to piece things together.

 

“That is enough!” He brushed off the bodyguard and knelt down to the girl.

 

“S-sir--!”

 

“Are you hurt?” Ignoring the men around him, the older man reached a hand out to the little girl. “Where are your parents?”

 

He scanned the street she came running down for any signs of a mother or father. The bodyguards begrudgingly stood down a bit, reporting the incident. The little girl grabbed her stuffed animal and took the older mans hand. After helping her up and dusting her off a bit he noticed a scrape on her knee.

 

“Ah, your knee. Give me a moment, we should be able to…” He trailed off as he looked up to see a plush bunny staring back at him. A cylinder was poking out of its mouth. Time slowed to a crawl as a van peeled around the corner from behind the girl. A muted pop pierced the quiet morning, the older man falling backwards. Two more shots. One fatal, one enough of a distraction for the girl to leap through the open van door as it slowed just enough. Once inside, the door slammed shut as the van sped down the street, the sound of gunfire and ricochets behind them.

 

“Did she do it?!” The driver called out, concentrating on getting them out of the city before any roads could be locked down.

 

The little girl pointed a finger to her forehead.

 

“Aye, a headshot. Clean kill if I’ve ever heard. You did good, lass.” Replied a redheaded woman in the passenger's seat.

 

“That she did.” Said a gruff man sitting in the back with the girl.

 

A large, calloused hand brushed the hood off her head and ruffled her hair. She wriggled out from under the hand, pulling a silenced pistol out of the plush toy. The gun barely fit in her hand but she ejected the magazine and handed them to the man.

 

“Hmm, three shots. Were they all for the target?” The man eyed the girl over a bit before reaching for a bag.

 

“One for the target. Two for the bodyguards. I think I killed one and wounded the other.” a tiny, quiet voice replied.

 

“What?” The redhead turned around with a slightly annoyed look on her face. “Speak up, lass!”

 

“One round to target, two for the hired help. One dead, one wounded.” replied the man. “Lemme see that knee.”

 

He placed a large adhesive bandage to her knee, as the redhead let out a whistle at the information.

 

“I’d expect nothing less from our little prodigy!” the redhead gave the girl a wide grin.

 

“Damn straight!” shouted the driver as he whipped the van around a corner.

 

“Not a bullet wasted and not a single tear over this scraped knee. That’s our girl.” The gruff man placed his hand on her head, ruffling her brown hair again.

 

“That’s our Frisk.”

 

-    -    -

 

Frisk calmly opened her eyes, feeling the tears run down the sides of her face. She usually felt cold and empty after these dreams of her past but she felt strangely warm. Shifting a bit revealed 3 pairs of arms wrapped around her. Turning to the side revealed 5 eyes staring at her.

 

“Ahuhu, good morning, deary~” Muffet smiled mischievously.

 

Frisk grabbed one of the spider monster’s hands. “Good morning…how long have you been in bed with me?”

 

“Oh, I only hopped in when you started to cry.” The smirk on her face shrank a bit, the worry evident in her voice.

 

“...” Muffet felt her hand squeezed a bit. “Thank you.”

 

“Was it another dream, deary? Or…”

 

“Just a dream this time.”

 

“I see.” Muffet pulled Frisk in a little closer. “Do...you want to tell me about it?”

 

The human girl laid there quietly for a moment.

 

“It was my fourth. He was a high ranking official. I got a lot of praise for how well I did.”

 

“Your fourth...so you were still...ten?”

 

Frisk nodded.

 

The first moment Frisk was alone, a spider had gotten her attention to deliver a note. She followed the directions, traveling alone through the Underground until she arrived at a small house. It was quaint, and so far out of the way that Frisk was pretty sure not even other monsters knew it was here. A few knocks on the door and the human girl found herself face to face with Muffet. What started out as a lovely invitation to tea quickly became awkward when Muffet admitted that she had been hired to kill Frisk. However, after also admitting that she was a bit desperate at the time, Muffet apologized. She heard from one of her spiders how kind Frisk was and decided to invite the girl over to see for herself. Regular tea parties over the previous weeks lead to mutual respect and friendship.

 

“Where is everyone?” Frisk asked after a few moments of silence.

 

“They returned to the castle. That Chara girl wanted to stay but her majesty did not want the infirmary crowded with visitors.”

 

Frisk simply nodded.

 

“Are you upset she is not here?” Muffet questioned, a gleam in her eyes.

 

“A bit, but you are here so it is fine.”

 

“Oh~? I am honored. Forgive me if this is too personal, but how close are you with Chara?”

 

“Not that close. I trust her more than most of the monsters here, but…”

 

Muffet waited for Frisk to finish, trying to search her features for any tidbits of information.

 

“There were...things...that I did that I don’t think can ever…” The blank look in her eyes from before was returning and Muffet felt a chill run down her spine.

 

“Time will tell, deary.” Muffet snuggled Frisk up in her arms and the blanket. “For now, you can depend on me.”

 

-    -    -

 

When Frisk woke up, Muffet was already gone. Toriel was reading a book, humming softly on one side of the bed. Chara was on the other, also reading. Frisk slowly sat herself up, catching their attention.

 

“My child! How are you feeling?” Toriel placed a warm hand on Frisk’s forehead. “Your fever seems to be gone.”

 

“You had us...worried, you know…” Chara mumbled to herself.

 

Frisk simply nodded, as the Royal Scientist entered the room. Alphys wanted to run a few more tests as well as talk to Aster about what comes next. Toriel and Chara left the room, though the latter was a bit reluctant. Once Frisk and Alphys was alone, the atmosphere shifted as Aster took charge.

 

“I-I don’t think I will ever get u-used to that f-feeling…” Alphys shivered a bit.

 

**Yes, I’m trying to work on that. Apparently it’s just a byproduct of powerful magic. Asgore and Gerson keep it in check. As well as that comedian.**

 

“R-really? F-fascinating.” Alphys adjusted some levers and knobs on the control panel that controlled all the monitoring equipment attached to Frisk. “So, t-two years seems to be the v-verdict. Just as you t-thought.”

 

**Hmm...well, it could be worse. And that gives us enough time to prepare.**

 

“Prepare?” Alphys adjusted her glasses and pulled her eyes away from the monitors.

 

As if on queue, Asgore, Gerson, Undyne, and Sans all arrived via teleportation.

 

**Excellent timing. As the Royal Scientist, you need to be included, Alphys.**

 

Alphys, suddenly very nervous, nodded. Undyne walked over and placed a reassuring arm around her.

 

**Well, now that we are all here...it’s time we started planning for what happens after the barrier is broken. We know it can be done. We know when it will be done.**

 

Undyne smiled a bit before the tension in the air told her something was wrong. Asgore had a grim look on his face. Sans seemed to have a better idea of what was wrong than she did. Gerson had the same old smile on his face as he usually did.

 

 **Well, as I told Asgore and Toriel…** Aster shot a glance at Sans before continuing. **The surface is not...a great place at the moment.**

 

Undyne and Alphys looked at each other, a mix of concern and confusion. Asgore let out a sigh and Gerson narrowed his eyes a bit.

 

“Could you maybe elaborate a little, kid?” Gerson scratched his neck, “I think we can all handle the reality since we’ll be knee deep in it soon enough, wa ha ha!”

 

 **Heehee...well, to put it bluntly.** Aster gestured dramatically with her hands. **The surface is a warzone.**

 

For once, the smile on Gerson’s face vanished. The whole room was silent except for the sound of the machines beeping and clicking in the background. Asgore closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose. He had been trying to push the talk Toriel, Aster, and himself had had in the throne room out of his mind. But there was no avoiding it.

 

“Warzone? What do you mean…?” The question came from Undyne.

 

**The country where Mt. Ebott resides is currently fighting to stay neutral in the conflicts of the surrounding countries. It’s all very messy. Assassinations, bombings, threat of invasion. We’ve already lost a decent chunk of land in one sided negotiations.**

 

The light from Sans’ eyes had gone out. The question that had been at the back of his mind was out of his mouth before he could stop himself.

 

“and how does frisk factor into all this?”

 

Aster’s eyes flared purple, a sneer smearing across her face. The pressure from the sudden increase in magic forced Alphys and Undyne to their knees. Asgore and Gerson reflexively summoned their weapons. But then it passed.

 

 **_You’re lucky Frisk is such a sweetheart, you trash bag._ ** The venom on her words were like needles across Sans’ soul.

 

Aster calmed herself and sat in silence for a bit. They realized she was talking to Frisk.

 

 **What is discussed here today does not leave this room.** Aster took a moment to scan the room. **No one else will hear about this. Not even the queen. Especially not Chara. Do you all understand?**

 

Everyone slowly nodded.

 

**...Frisk was a...child soldier. She was raised by a rebel group within the country. The government was on the verge of surrendering. They were going to hand the country over in exchange for ‘peace’. A few assassinations and well place bombs put an end to that.**

 

“Would that not have caused more harm?” Asgore queried.

 

**You would think, but the government was already split. People called ‘em the ‘chickens’ and the ‘hawks’; those who wanted to surrender and those who wanted to fight. So, officials from the Hawk faction were all ready to fill in the gaps and seize control. Frisk was too young to really understand but I figure that the rebel group was in touch with the Hawk faction.**

 

“So after that blasted war and forcing monsters underground...humans just moved on to killing each other…” Gerson looked sad rather than angry.

 

**Yes! You should see the leaps and bounds warfare has taken. Entire city blocks can be wiped out in an instant. You can kill a man with the pull of a finger. Humans have developed their own form of magic, heehee.**

 

Sans shuddered a bit, remembering the gun that Frisk had carried in the previous timeline.

 

“That all sounds kind of cool, but why are the humans even fighting each other?” Undyne was torn between excitement and doubt.

 

The prospect of a fight had her excited but the pointless nature of the war had her hesitant. There was nothing awesome about pointless killing.

 

 **Huh...Frisk doesn’t know.** Aster frowned. **Which means I don’t know. All she did know was that people were trying to invade her country.**

 

Everyone seemed to be a bit shocked that a war could be fought, that people could kill each other without knowing why.

 

“Wa ha ha! Well, this old monster could prolly give a few guesses: power, fear, jealousy, greed. Humans really haven’t changed. Not one darn bit.”

 

 **Eh, probably. But the main point is that things** **_have_ ** **changed.** Aster was eager to change the topic away from Frisk’s past. **Humans no longer fight with swords and arrows and spears. They may have forgotten about monsters and magic for the most part, but their ability to kill has only gotten better. I’m sure you’ve managed to accumulate some information about the progress mankind has made from what has fallen into the Underground.**

 

“Y-yes, a bit but a lot of it s-seemed to be outdated...w-which is why it was tossed in the f-first place.” Alphys had grown a bit pale during the whole conversation.

 

**Humans now have guns, missiles, rockets, fighter jets, tanks, battleships. It’s honestly more than I can explain right now. That’s why the first thing we need to do is prepare the monsters. They need to know what to expect when the barrier is broken. Instant integration will be impossible.**

 

Asgore nodded, thinking of how to break this news to his people.

 

**We will also need to organize. I know many monsters are not fond of violence or fighting at all, but they will need to at least know how to defend themselves. The handful of heavy hitters we have won’t be enough to protect the monsters that can’t fight.**

 

Gerson and Undyne nodded. They would make plans to expand the Royal Guard and plan for emergencies.

 

**And most importantly, we will need information. First contact will need to happen, but the more we know of the current situation on the surface the better cards we will have at the negotiation table. I can imagine that if we present the monsters as an ally, the prospect of having magic on their side would sway even the most stubborn people.**

 

“I hope you do not expect us to participate in this war…” Asgore had a serious look on his face.

 

**I do not. The government had always maintained a stance of neutrality in the war. But it’s hard to stay out of a war when you can’t defend yourself. All I would be suggesting is that you offer to help defend the borders. It would be a good gesture of peace between monsters and the people of the country. Though... it would definitely get complicated later but…**

 

“But good political maneuvering would be enough to handle that.” Asgore smiled a bit.

 

Fighting in the political arena would be far more preferable to getting sucked into the war. The fact that the country’s government would prefer to remain neutral was a little reassuring. But the prospect of leading his people out into a surface torn apart by war was…

 

**Well, I guess it is best to say this now. If you have any doubts about leaving the Underground I would voice them now. Once you break the barrier and the world is reminded that monsters exist...there is no going back. Running back to the Underground wouldn’t change anything.**

 

“Yes, you are right. There is a lot that needs to be discussed. We can continue this later. I believe we all have a lot to process.”

 

 **For sure. I think my little tantrum was a bit much for Frisk…** A bit of blood dripped from her nose. **A bit more rest should be in order…**

 

Aster fell back into the bed, the black ink evaporating from Frisk’s face. Alphys used some tissue to wipe the blood from Frisk’s nose and double checked all the displays. Asgore tucked the girl into the blanket and gave Alphys a worried glance.

 

“She will be f-fine.” Alphys tapped some keys and the data on the screens changed. “Her f-fever hasn’t returned and h-her breathing is s-stable. After some m-more rest, you c-can take her home.”

 

“Alright, call me when she is ready.” Asgore turned to leave, followed by Gerson.

 

Undyne gave Alphys a quick peck on the cheek before jogging out after the other two. Sans stood by the doorway, staring at Frisk. He went over the number in his head again. That number etched into Frisk’s soul. Evidence of her sins. The skeleton sighed as he turned to leave.

 

“Sans. Y-you know, don’t you?”

 

He turned around and gave Alphys a confused look.

 

“You k-know how many s-she has…” Alphys wrung her hands nervously. “I-I remember Gaster...telling me that s-some skeleton monsters could...c-could see…”

 

“i can.”

 

Alphys’ eyes widened a bit, her own sins making her feel itchy all over. She wanted to ask him how many but knew that it was wrong. Her own curiosity always frustrated her.

 

“a lot.” Sans turned back to the doorway, catching the surprised look on Alphys’ face. “but i don’t believe she had a choice.”


	19. Chapter 19

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We're back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well. Replacing a screen turned into replacing a computer but thats that. Let's continue :|

Despite getting the all clear from Alphys, Toriel insisted that Frisk rest at home for a few days. On top of that, a strict no-unsupervised-magic rule was put in place. During this time, Chara was determined to learn a bit more about Frisk. For purely academic purposes, of course. She had decided to bring some books to the room Frisk was in, as a conversation starter. After a good while of silence, Chara noticed Frisk staring at the book in her hands.

 

“Do you want to read this?” Chara offered the book to Frisk.

 

She shook her head and turned away.

 

“Do...you want me to just read it out loud for you?”

 

Frisk thought for a moment before nodding.

 

“Alright, let me start from the beginning…” Chara smiled slightly as she started to read aloud.

 

The two girls would stay in Frisk’s room, Chara reading various books to Frisk. The younger girl would sometimes ask questions about the story or words she did not completely understand and Chara would try her best to explain. Once the unofficial house arrest was over, Frisk resumed her daily routine of visiting with Muffet. She asked Chara if she wanted to join them, but the older girl declined. Chara thought it would be a bit intrusive to join them right away. Att least that was what her logical side was telling her. It was during this time alone that Asgore approached Chara with a proposition.

 

“Chara, do you have a moment to talk?” Asgore asked as he found a suitable spot on the floor of Chara’s room to sit.

 

“Of course.” Chara put down the book she was reading and faced her Father.

 

“I was hoping that you would be willing to consider taking part in our efforts to connect with the outside world once the barrier is broken.” Asgore smiled as he noticed all the books in her room.

 

“How would I be helping?” Chara tilted her head a bit.

 

“As our ambassador. On behalf of the monsters you will help us bridge the differences between our species. Toriel and myself will be there with you every step of the way.”

 

“Ambassador?! Do you not think that I am a bit...too young? And inexperienced, even!” Chara could feel her head spinning into overdrive.

 

“Hahaha, be calm, my child. There are two years before you would even need to come to a decision. By then you would be...eighteen? I believe that to be the current age of adulthood. According to Alphys, at least.”

 

“But…” Chara ran a hand through her hair. “Am I really the best for a position this important?”

 

“I can think of no one better.” Asgore placed a hand on her head and smiled.

 

Chara smiled slightly.

 

“For now, all you need to do is think about your answer and continue to expand your knowledge.” Asgore gestured to all the books scattered around.

 

“Okay, I will think about it.” Chara opened the book she had been reading before.

 

“Thank you, Chara.” Asgore carefully got up and left the room.

 

As her red eyes scanned the page, Chara thought about how she would answer. How she would answer and what she would do from that point onward.

 

-    -    -

 

“Ahuhuhu, Frisk, deary, may I ask what your plans for the future are?” Muffet reached a hand out towards Frisk.

 

“My plans…” Frisk sighed a bit, holding onto Muffets hand. “Surviving, I guess.”

 

“Surviving? What do you mean?” Muffet was genuinely surprised by that answer.

 

“I’m not sure how it works in the Underground, but on the surface…” Frisk shifted uncomfortably. “On the surface, war criminals aren’t tolerated.”

 

Muffet stared blankly at Frisk for a few moments. “War...criminal? You?!”

 

Frisk nodded.

 

“...I do not suppose you would like to talk about that tidbit?”

 

Frisk shook her head.

 

“I understand. Everyone has things they would prefer to remain in the past.” Muffet smiled. “The past is the past, the future is unknowable...so all that matters is the present.”

 

“Thank you.” Frisk relaxed a bit at Muffet’s words.

 

“You are welcome, ahuhu.” Muffet poured some more tea for her guest. “So, do you have some idea of how you plan to survive on the surface? You are always welcome to stay with the King and Queen, I would imagine.”

 

“Hmm, I would just need to make sure that any loose ends from before I fell are taken care of. Information gathering will be key. After that…”

 

“If it is information gathering, I would be very willing to help.” Two sets of arms crossed her chest. “Information is our specialty.”

 

The spiders that were always present seemed to vibrate with excitement.

 

“That would be great. It will also be necessary for the monsters. With the way war is now...they’ll need all the advantages they can get.”

 

“Has war really changed that much on the surface?” Muffet tilted her head to the side a bit, tapping her chin with a finger. “War is just killing the enemy, no?”

 

“Yes...but humans have become the best at it.” Frisk rubbed her throat. “Humans have been killing each other for centuries. Improving and improving.”

 

“...” Muffet’s eyes widened a bit and she could not help but chuckle. “Ahuhu...one of our clan elders would regale us with stories of humans. Tales of their greed and cruelty. I figured she was just embellishing to scare us.”

 

“Humans aren’t all bad, like most things. But the ones who are tend to be the worst.” Frisk opened her eyes a bit. “The worst…”

 

The meaning in the girl’s words was not lost on Muffet. She quietly sipped on her tea as she studied Frisk. The more time she spent with the human, the more impressed she became. The maturity and foresight that this young girl showed was intimidating at times. The fact that this child also now possessed powerful magic did not help. Muffet chuckled again.

 

“Would you like some more tea, deary?”

 

“Yes, please.”

 

-    -    -

 

The next day, while Chara was busying studying, Frisk entered the throne room where Asgore and Gerson were busy talking. The elderly turtle cackled loudly as Asgore poured him another cup of tea.

 

“Ah, Frisk! Please, come in.” Asgore stood from the table that was set up and pull out a chair. “Would you like some tea?”

 

Frisk nodded.

 

Asgore smiled as he poured a cup of the sweet scented tea and handed the cup to the small girl. After a few sips, Frisk carefully eyed the two monsters. Gerson was regaling Asgore with tales from his youth; the kind of tales you hear more than once from your elders. The king of monsters merely smiled and laughed along with the old turtle. She quietly finished her tea and continued to observe the two. After a few more moments of loud cackling and wild gestures, Gerson turned his attention to the young human.

 

“Wa ha ha! Sorry about that! When you get to my age, you tend to lose track of...well everything! Wa ha ha ha!” Gerson cackled as he rocked back in his chair.

 

“Ahem, the reason you were called here was to talk about...your, uh, plans for the future...as well as…” Asgore smiled awkwardly as he searched for the right words.

 

“Stars above...what he’s tryin’ to ask you is what were you up to before you fell down here.”

 

Asgore coughed a bit at Gerson’s sudden interjection. Frisk was unphased by the question which left Gerson a bit impressed.

 

“Hohoh...quite the cool customer you are. Given the information we’ve collected, I can’t imagine you were up to anything savory.”

 

Gerson reached into something at his feet and pulled out the pistol and silencer, laying them on the table. Asgore frowned a bit as he sat up straight.

 

“Alphys filled me in on the general use and purpose of these kinds of weapons.” Gerson cackled a bit but the look in his eyes betrayed the bitterness. “Humans were bad enough with rocks and arrows.”

 

Asgore was about to speak when the sight of two blue orbs stopped him. Frisk looked to the gun and then to the turtle monster across from her. He met her gaze and held it.

 

“As a warrior, I can’t say I dislike those eyes of yours.” His smile grew a bit larger. “But as an old monster whose only concern is the safety of the Underground...I can’t say that I feel comfortable having you around without the full story.”

 

Frisk turned to Asgore.

 

“As much as it pains me, I must agree with Gerson. While the past is the past, in my opinion, a mutual understanding goes a long way in forging the trust needed to move forward.” Asgore grew a bit more serious. “If you would, we would like to know where you obtained this weapon and why someone as young as yourself is trained to use it.”

 

“Sending youngin’s into battle is nothing new, but the way you carry yourself; your skills and experience. In my eyes, you’re no youngin’. Not anymore.” Gerson grimaced at the bluntness of his own words, but he knew it to be true. “You must have been trained at a real young age. Too young.”

 

Frisk switched between Gerson and Asgore, thinking. She could guess why they were concerned. The image a certain smiley skeleton crossed her mind. Asgore glanced nervously at Gerson while Gerson refused to take his eyes off Frisk. She decided that lying would be more trouble than she could deal with at the moment.

 

“...” Frisk opened then closed her mouth, a slight rasp escaping her lips.

 

The first spark of magic had Gerson sitting forward but he remained calm. Frisk’s blue eyes shifted to a dark purple illuminated by building magic.

 

“...I…” The two monsters could hear the words alongside the slight buzz of the magic in the air. “I worked for a group of people...they had us help them.”

 

“Help them with what?” Asgore knew the answer the moment the question left his mouth. The look in Frisk’s eyes told them everything.

 

“Killing people.”


	20. Chapter 20

The clouds in the distance were the first signs of the impending storm. The rumbling that followed the brief flashes of light brought a smile to the man’s face. His blue-gray eyes studied the horizon as he chewed on the tip of an old pipe. Pocketing the pipe, he brushed his hand through his pepper colored beard and then across his shaved head.

 

“Boss, they’re back.” The younger man popped out from the door that gave access to the roof of the large industrial building.

 

“Got it.” After giving the short reply, the older man stretched his shoulders and turned to leave.

 

The building was old but sturdy, formerly the warehouse used to store shipping containers for the railways. Laying on the outskirts of the outskirts of rural lived land and the base of the notorious Mt. Ebott, the abandoned warehouse made for the perfect hideaway. While even the most rustic of people weren’t too superstitious anymore, enough people had ventured into those mountains and not returned that the smaller towns and villages stayed away. The sheer distance of the cities made it too out of the way for most authorities. The grizzled man descended the metal stairway to the sound of shouting and boots echoing throughout the warehouse. Near several nondescript vans and trucks, an additional van pulled into the loading bay and a small group filed out. The driver was the last to exit as a red-headed woman slapped him on the back.

 

“Once again, some masterful drivin’,” She smirked, “I tell you what, drinks are on me next time, lads.”

 

The driver grinned from ear to ear, and gave the rowdy group a deep, exaggerated bow. As the group slowly dispersed, the red-head playfully ruffled the hair of the young girl at her side. The smile on her face shrank a bit as she noticed the older man approaching.

 

“I take it things went well?” He smirked at the group of men huddled around the driver who was making wild gestures. “Not too much heat, I hope?”

 

“Well, not for us, no. That building, though, heh. Brighter an’ redder than me nan after a pint.”

 

Those blue-gray eyes scanned the group before resting on the young girl. “We’re missing one.”

 

“Ah. We had a bit of a minor blunder.” The red-head as suddenly nervous.

 

“How minor?” Those blue-gray eyes went very dark, very quickly.

 

The red-head flinched at the low growl the man’s voice had suddenly become. The young girl stepped forward.

 

“He took two hits to the gut. He wasn’t going to make it out with us.” Two bright blue eyes opened and stared back at the man. “I took care of it.”

 

The red-head turned her eyes away, swallowing down the small wave of nausea she could feel in the pit of her stomach. The older man smiled and ruffled the the young girls brown hair.

 

“That’s my Frisk.” He ruffled her hair a bit more before pinching her on the cheek. “Get cleaned up and we can debrief over a meal.”

 

The red-head nodded and tapped Frisk on the shoulder. They turned and left to put away their gear and change. The older man walked over and gave the driver a pat on the shoulder and mingled with the group, cracking a smile at the driver’s obviously embellished getaway story. After arriving at the locker rooms that had once been used by the warehouse workers, the red-head fell back first against her locker and let out a long sigh.

 

“Heaven help me, your da intimidates the shite out of me sometimes.” She ran a hand through her hair and gave Frisk a smirk. “Thanks for stepping up.”

 

“I only reported what happened, Miss Patricia.” Frisk unzipped her sweater and removed it, revealing the holsters and sheaths.

 

“Patty.”

 

Frisk tried to avoid the older woman’s gaze as she started to unclip the harnesses her gear was attached to.

 

“Paaaaaaattttttyyyyyyy!” Patty grabbed Frisk’s face in her hands and mushed her cheeks.

 

“Pathshy…” Frisk managed before being pulled into a hug.

 

“Ahhh, you are so precious sometimes~” Patty rubbed her face in Frisk’s hair. “Like a cuddly bear. If I could I’d keep you in me pocket.”

 

Frisk tried her best to look annoyed, but inside knew that she enjoyed these moments. They finished changing and returned to the warehouse floor where Frisk’s father was waiting near a makeshift dining area. He smiled a bit as he watched his daughter approach.

 

“Oooh, I forget today was stew day. Jackpot!” Patty skipped ahead and grabbed a bowl.

 

Frisk and her father followed behind, grabbing bowls and some utensils. The cook gave Frisk an extra helping of stew as well as an extra piece of bread. Patty complained about how unfair this treatment was. A passing man made a comment about the difference between growing up and growing fat and received a sharp kick to the seat of his pants. After reaching a table, they all took their seats and started to eat.

 

“So, besides the one loss, were there any other problems?”

 

“No sir. We were able to complete the mission with no additional issues.” Patty stuffed some bread in her mouth.

 

“They shouldn’t be able to identify him.” Frisk swallowed another spoonful of stew. “I made sure of that.”

 

Patty’s chewing slowed for a fraction of a second before she took another mouthful of bread.

 

“Good, good. It’s a shame to lose someone but…” His eyes locked onto Frisk’s face. “That’s the order of things.”

 

Frisk opened her eyes and stared back at her father.  _ Only the strong prevail. _

 

“Oh, I’m not sure if this is an issue or not,” Patty swallowed down the food in her mouth. “But there was more inventory in that building than we expected.”

 

“Really?” The older man raised an eyebrow.

 

“There was an entire extra truckload of inventory.” Frisk added. “Better guarded as well, reinforcements to the security came faster than it should have.”

 

“I see. Losing a man makes much more sense now.” He closed his eyes and thought for a moment. “Well it’s good that we were able to do a bit of extra damage but…”

 

Patty continued to eat and let her eyes wander to Frisk. That ‘but’ sounded like things were about to get complicated.

 

“Well, we can worry about this new bit later.” He returned to eating. “Tell me Frisk, what kind of kill count did we get today?”

 

Patty shifted uncomfortably.

 

“Ten maybe twelve confirmed. Possibly some more…” Frisk tore off a piece and bread and used it to soak up the bit of stew left in her bowl. “Things got a bit crazy so…”

 

“So...you lost count?” Her father grinned.

 

Patty could not resist smirking at the sight of the blush that started to creep up to Frisk’s ears.

 

“I lost count.” Frisk scowled.

 

“Oh my lord, she is just too adorable.” Patty covered her face and mumbled under her breath.

 

Frisk’s father laughed as he watched his daughter get up and leave the table.

 

-    -    -

 

“Frisk?”

 

The human girl snapped back to the present.

 

“Yes?”

 

“You were describing the types of missions your group carried out?” Asgore looked a bit concerned.

 

“Right. It was mostly sabotage and demolition work. As well as information gathering.” Frisk glanced at Gerson. “There were usually casualties. On both sides.”

 

“Hmph.” Gerson grunted as he rocked back in his chair. “You don’t sound like you were too attached to this group of yours.”

 

Frisk bristled a bit but managed to keep her face neutral.

 

“What was the purpose of this group, Frisk?” Asgore tried to keep the discussion on track.

 

“I…” Frisk actually looked unsure for once, which had Asgore and Gerson sharing a glance. “I just followed orders…”

 

“I see.” Asgore sighed and tugged at his beard.

 

“Well, I can’t argue with that much. Following orders is what soldiers do.” Gerson rocked back and forth. “So, you don’t know anything about what this group was working towards?”

 

“...” Frisk rubbed her throat. “It doesn’t matter, they’re all dead anyway.”

 

Asgore started a bit as Gerson bumped the table trying to keep from falling back in his chair.

 

“They’re dead?!”

 

“Yes.” Frisk appeared uninterested. “As far as I know, I’m the only survivor.”

 

“Were you attacked?” Asgore seemed more concerned for Frisk than the group.

 

“...Yes.”

 

Gerson narrowed his eyes, sensing that the human girl’s answers were not the whole truth. But in the end, her answers told him enough. A child soldier. The human history books that he had managed to read over his lifetime had set the precedent for such a thing. As terrible as it was, the veteran knew that nothing would have a soldier drop their guard more readily than a child. He shuddered at the thought. Frisk kept silent. The low hum of magic slowly died out as it dissipated from around her. Small hands rubbed at her eyes, puffy from the irritation.

 

“Ah, come now, do not rub your eyes like that.” Asgore stood up and rested a hand on her head. “How about you go find Toriel and have her take care of it.”

 

Frisk nodded, taking the suggestion as a sign that she could leave. After she had left the room, Asgore practically collapsed into his seat.

 

“I knew things were different on the surface, but I had no idea that humans had become…”

 

“More violent?” Gerson cackled at the conflicted look on Asgore’s face. “They’ve always been a strange bunch, those humans.”

 

The old turtle monster stood up, all of his joints popping and cracking as he stretched. He smiled at Asgore.

 

“I will withhold judgement for now. That young girls situation is complicated to put it lightly.” Slowly sauntering off out of the throne room. “I’ll have a chat with him. Sometimes those eyes of his can leave him a bit...blind, wa ha ha ha!”

 

Asgore smiled and sat back in the chair. He tugged at his beard again and decided to pour himself another cup of tea.

 

-    -    -

 

Chara was immersed in a pile of books when the rumbling growl of her stomach brought her back to reality. She had been reading for hours and lost track of time. Carefully stepping over some books that had fallen to the floor, Chara made her way down the various hallways until she arrived at the dining room. The kitchen was just through the dining room but the older girl stopped when she found Frisk at the table. She was eating some soup and bread which, judging by the smell, was freshly baked. Toriel entered the dining room with a pot.

 

“Oh, Chara! It is about time you showed up. I was starting to think you had fallen into one of those books.” The queen gave Chara a poke on the cheek. “I have some soup and fresh bread ready.”

 

Toriel served up another helping of soup for Frisk and then stepped back into the kitchen, returning with another bowl and plate of bread. She dished out some soup for Chara and smiled widely at Frisk, who was making quick work of the bread.

 

“Such a healthy appetite.” said the queen to herself. “I will be out for a while. If either of you need anything you just need to call.”

 

“Yes, mother.” Chara replied between mouthfuls of bread.

 

As Toriel left the room, Chara looked up from her meal and glanced at Frisk. The smaller girl was using pieces of bread to soak up the leftover soup. She was still impressed by how much the tiny girl could eat. Her eyes studied Frisk’s face for a bit before she noticed they were a bit puffy and red.

 

“Frisk, are you okay?”

 

Frisk looked up and tilted her head a bit.

 

“Well, I mean…” Chara suddenly felt a bit anxious. “Your eyes...I mean, it looks like you have…”

 

Frisk held out her hand. Chara blushed, just a bit, before grabbing the offered hand.

 

“Are you okay, Chara?”

 

Chara became visibly agitated. “I am perfectly fine! I was just asking if  _ you _ were okay!”

 

“I’m fine?” Frisk was still a bit confused.

 

“That is...good.” Chara let out a long sigh and ran a hair through her hair. “I was just...a bit…”

 

She squeezed Frisk’s hand.

 

“I just thought you might have been...crying...or something…because your eyes…” Chara fidgeted and averted her eyes.

 

“Oh.” Frisk almost rubbed her eyes but remembered not to. “This was just from me using my magic for a little bit.”

 

“Oh.” Chara just stared at Frisk for a bit before returning to her soup.

 

Frisk grabbed some more bread and another serving of soup.

 

“Frisk...just how much soup and bread have you had?” Chara raised an eyebrow.

 

Her answer came in the form of the slight blush on the younger girls cheeks.


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's still goin'. My outline has long since been abandoned, so I just kind of think about this fic and write as I go. Then I nap and think about food until the next idea pops up. So ya...no real plan besides an end goal and no real schedule. But like I said a while ago, I will finish this :| So enjoy!

Several weeks passed as Chara and Frisk settled into their routines. The older girl spent most of her time studying. At least three times a week, Toriel would force the girl out of the castle for fresh air and to reconnect with the monsters of the Underground. She would go to Grillby’s with Sans, mingled with the various monster regulars. She would patrol with Papyrus, helping him settle minor disputes amongst the monsters. She would visit Alphys’ lab to get clarification and help with anything she did not understand from her own reading. Mettaton made sure to capture all of these moments for the entire Kingdom to see. Slowly but surely, Chara was accepted by the monsters. Accepted as the adopted child of their King and Queen. The same could not be said for Frisk, though there was a general acknowledgement amongst the monsters that she must be alright, at least. This stemmed from her near constant presence around Chara. Whenever Chara left the castle, Frisk would be with her. The only exceptions being when Frisk would visit with Muffet or occasionally vanish completely. She would always return to the castle so Toriel did not question it.

 

It was one of those days where Frisk decided to venture out on her own. She had been systematically exploring the Underground, finding all sorts of hidden passages and random junk. An empty revolver was about the most useful thing she had found. Today, however, had been a rather surprising trip. Frisk found herself in an alley next to Mettaton's hotel. There she ran into two monsters named Catty and Bratty. They were selling a variety of odds and ends but something she did not expect to find caught her eye. She was able to trade some of the clothing she had found for it. Frisk made her way back to Waterfall. She had found a nice spot to hang around in quiet. The quiet whispers of the flowers were soothing to her, so she often took the time to just sit and listen. Reaching into her pocket, Frisk pulled out the item she had gotten earlier. She flipped it over in her hand, crinkling the plastic wrap.

 

“heh, i’m pretty sure that those aren’t for kids on the surface either.” Sans stood off to the side, hands in his pockets.

 

Frisk opened one eye at him as she pulled the plastic off.

 

“...hey.” His grin shrunk a bit as he watched her stuff the wrap in her pocket.

 

The young girl opened the small box with practiced ease and gave it a gentle tap on the back of her hand. A single cigarette popped out. She reached out and pointed the pack at Sans, the cigarette poking in his direction. The skeleton seriously contemplated snatching the pack out of her hand, but he was not sure if he wanted to get into a grudge match over a cigarette. A bony hand plucked the cigarette out and placed it between his teeth. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out a lighter.

 

“i’ll accept this peace offering for now but if anyone asks…” After a few clicks and a long drag. “i caught you and told you this isn’t good for you, got it?”

 

Frisk nodded.

 

“also, lighters are hard to come by down here so you’ll have to find your own.” Sans smirked at Frisk as she scrunched her face at him.

 

After a few moments, her eyebrows rose as she snapped her fingers. Extending her left index finger, she focused on the tip. Sans puffed quietly as he wonder what she was up to. A small purple glow appeared at the end of her finger. Frisk tapped the pack on her thigh and grabbed a cigarette with her lips. Carefully touching the cigarette to the magic focused at her fingertip, Frisk watched the contact point start to burn. She took a satisfying drag and put out her finger.

 

“huh. i don’t know how i’ve never thought of that.” Sans sounded genuinely impressed.

 

They both puffed in silence for a while before Sans broke the silence. “i’ve never tried this brand before...kind of minty.”

 

Frisk nodded and puffed some smoke rings. Once they were finished, Frisk held out her hand for the cigarette butt between his fingers. Confused but also curious, Sans pinched out the end and dropped it in her hand. Frisk dropped her own in her palm and focused again. She closed her hand into a fist and felt the magic build within it. Two seconds later she opened her hand and only a bit of ash was left. She patted her hands down on her shorts and walked away, leaving Sans a bit stunned.

 

“how did i now think of that either…” He scratched his head and blinked away.

 

-    -    -

 

“Ahuhuhu, welcome deary. I  _ just _ finished a batch of spider donuts.” Muffet welcomed Frisk into her home and began setting up the table.

 

As she came back with the donuts, she did a quick double take before setting them on the table.

 

“Deary, where is your sweater?” Muffet tilted her head a bit.

 

Frisk simply shrugged and took another sip of tea, swishing it a bit before swallowing. Muffet raised an eyebrow but took her seat across from Frisk. The young human grabbed a donut and started to eat, tearing off small bite fulls. Muffet stirred her tear while eyeing Frisk carefully. She would know what the girl had been up to if she had a few spiders follow her but after several failed attempts, Muffet found herself, and her family, giving up. Frisk always seemed to find the tiny spider monsters and Muffet was not entirely sure it was because of her magic. Very curious.

 

“How have you been, Frisk?” Muffet smiled as Frisk leaned forward and reached her hand across the table.

 

However, it was her left hand instead of the usual right. Curious, very curious.

 

“I’ve been okay. Just exploring the Underground.” Frisk grabbed another donut before taking another sip of tea, swishing it again before swallowing.

 

Muffet’s curiosity was absolutely buzzing beneath her skin.

 

“Muffet?”

 

Frisk tilted her head a bit, studying the look on Muffet’s face. Abruptly, the spider monster stood and made her way to Frisk. The small girl stood when Muffet grabbed her hand and smelled it. Frisk pulled her hand back but that only left her open for Muffet to lean close and sniff into Frisk’s hair. The close proximity of Muffet’s face had Frisk stumbling back into her chair, a deep flush burning up her neck and ears.

 

“It’s faint...but I can definitely smell something.” Muffet crossed one pair of arms while a pair of hands settled on her hips. The last pair gentle tugged on Frisk’s hair. “Have you been smoking those things?”

 

Frisk slowly tilted head away, in minor defiance.

 

“ _ Frisk. _ ” Muffet grabbed the girls hand.

 

“...Maybe.”

 

Muffet made a face that Frisk had never seen before and it almost caused her to sputter out a laugh.

 

“This is  _ not _ funny! Sans smokes those things too and they smell awful!”

 

“These are different...and you could barely tell…” Frisk still refused to make eye contact.

 

“They. Smell. So.  _ Bad _ .” Muffet tugged on Frisks hair a bit harder before smooshing the small girls face.

 

“You’re acting ridiculous.”

 

“Breathe out.”

 

Frisk gave her own never-before-seen face only to have it met by a glare from Muffet. She breathed out a heavy sigh and Muffet wrinkled her nose.

 

“Awful.”

 

“Well, I don’t expect to be breathing on people.”

 

“ _ Awful. _ ” Muffet whined and sniffed a lock of Frisk’s hair.

 

“You’re crazy!” Frisk scoffed.

 

“And you’re smelly now!” Muffet huffed.

 

Frisk gaped at the spider monster until she found herself outside.

 

“You can come back after a shower or two, deary~”

 

“Muffet.”

 

“Ahuhu~”

 

“ _ Muffet _ .”

 

Silence.

 

-    -     -

 

Frisk found herself back at the castle. She sat on her bed as she dried her hair from the shower. A hesitant sniff confirmed that any cigarette smell was gone. Her sweater was hung up to air out despite much of the smoky smell dissipating on the way back. She would have to be more careful in the future. Leaving her room, Frisk wander the castle halls until she found Chara studying in the library. The smaller girl quietly took a seat next to the older girl. To her credit, Chara’s focus never strayed from the text in the book. It was not until Frisk leaned closer to skim some of the words that Chara become aware of her company. Ignoring the small amount of heat in her cheeks, Chara glanced over at Frisk. Her brow was furrowed in concentration as she read, mouth moving as she mumbled. Chara had long suspect that Frisk had trouble reading, though at first she had thought the girl could not read at all. She found herself studying the young girl before a heavy sigh and the smell of smoke broke Chara out of her thoughts.

 

“Frisk…?”

 

The small girl had already covered her mouth with the back of her hand, head slowly turning away.

 

“Frisk, look at me.”

 

Chara grabbed Frisk’s free hand.

 

“Frisk.”

 

“Yes?” Frisk could feel her ears burning as she thought back to her back and forth with Muffet.

 

Chara grabbed Frisk by the chin and turned the girl to face her. “Breathe out.”

 

Deja vu swept over Frisk as she kept her mouth clamped shut. Chara’s red eyes narrow in a glare as she leaned in. Frisk leaned away until she realized the chair was starting to tip. Chara took her hand from Frisk’s face and grabbed at her side. A cute, albeit raspy, sound escaped from Frisk. Both girls just stared blankly, the red burning its way up Frisk’s face. Chara went to strike again but Frisk stopped it with her free hand. They wrestled back and forth, a determined grin on Chara’s face. And then the chair tipped, resulting in Chara landing on Frisk, knocking the air out of her. Once again, Chara was hit in the face with that smoky, cigarette smell. She was ready to give Frisk the lecture of a lifetime as she pushed herself off the small girl. That is, until she realized how close she was to the younger girl.

 

“Uh...um, are you okay, Frisk?” Chara could feel her cheeks burning as she looked down at the girl underneath her. She felt their hands still clasped together, fingers interwoven.

 

“Yeah…” Frisk had her eyes open.

 

Chara audibly gulped as she took in the sight before her. Blue eyes stared back at her as Frisk laid there, absolutely red faced and rumpled. For the first time that she had seen, Frisk seemed unsure.Chara could feel...something, bubbling in her chest. The library was silent except for the quiet breathes of the two girls. Chara’s mouth was suddenly dry, causing her to involuntarily lick her lips. Frisk visibly shivered which caused Chara’s eyes to widen. What was happening? How did they get here? These thoughts, among others, ran circles around her mind. Again, the faint smell of smoke caught her attention, causing her to scrunch up her face.

 

“Do you really smoke?”

 

Frisk, seamlessly following the change in mood, nodded.

 

“You do know that not only is it illegal for your age, but it is terribly bad for you?”

 

From her position on the floor Frisk shrugged.

 

“Did you just shrug at me?” Chara scowled.

 

Another shrug.

 

“Stop shrugging!”

 

Frisk blew air in Chara’s face and wriggled out from under her.

 

“Ugh, terrible!” She covered her nose and fell back onto her rear.

 

A small hand reached out to help her up.

 

“I will not say anything further, but know that I do not approve.”

 

Frisk nodded.

 

“And if you plan to keep doing it…” Chara narrowed her eyes. “Do not talk to me until you have showered and washed your mouth.”

 

For a moment, Frisk did nothing.

 

Then she shrugged.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And oh man, there is finally some charisk in this fic. I should prolly add a slow burn tag cuz its gonna be a reaaaall slow burn but like eh. Also I like Muffet alot so things might get complicated? Who knows, I definitely don't.


	22. Chapter 22

Chara found the following days to be extremely confusing. Things seemed to be normal. She continued to study and interact with the monsters. Frisk would be around when she was not off on her own. Perfectly normal. Even the violent blush that would burn her cheeks whenever Frisk was too close or the way her mind would wander to the small girl when she was not around was normal. Yes, perfectly normal.

 

“What is wrong with me…?” Chara let her head hit the table as she finally gave up on the book in her hands.

 

She say up and let out a sigh as she ran a hand through her hair. Red eyes roamed the library as she tried to ignore the obvious answer to her dilemma. She was sixteen. She was no longer a child and was far from stupid. Chara knew what she was feeling. So why did she feel so conflicted?

 

“Because she is dangerous…” Guilt tugged at her soul before the words even mumbled their way out of her mouth.

 

However, Chara knew it was true. She barely knows this girl, if at all. What she did know painted the girl as damaged beyond repair. Fragile and scared, yet with the knowledge to kill a man any number of ways. A very dangerous mix. Yet, despite the danger, Chara felt herself inexplicably drawn to Frisk. The logical part of her brain brought up the literal connection they shared, and possibly still share, when she was still a spirit. The far less logical and frustratingly frilly side of her mind kept bringing up the magic of love at first sight. Chara buried her face in her arms and let out a muffled squeal. She was being ridiculous. Frisk, in her ever mature fashion, seemed completely unaffected. Chara felt a small pang in her heart at this thought but quickly banished it. The younger girl had not mentioned the incident or been any different around her, but Frisk was hard to read at the best of times. Those brief glimpses at the girl underneath the mask were extremely intriguing to Chara.

 

Checking the time, Chara figured that the subject of her thoughts was probably with Muffet still. A small frown appeared on her face as she cleaned up the books she was reading and left the library. Frisk had invited Chara to join her before but the older girl felt like she would be intruding. Muffet had obviously somehow earned the trust of the younger girl, being one of the few monsters Frisk seemed to be almost immediately comfortable around. Chara refused to be jealous on top of all these other confusing feelings so she decided to be happy for her...friend? She paused as she opened the door to her room. Was Frisk a friend? Another sigh escaped her as she entered her room and flopped on the bed. Here she was concerned and confused about what kind of romantic feels there might be when it still was not clear if the two of them were even friends.

 

“At the very least…” Chara ran a hand through her hair. “At the very least she is my savior…”

 

A low rumble interrupted her thoughts and caused a bit more red to dust her cheeks. She had forgotten to eat again. Deciding to leave all of these complicated and frustrating issues aside for now, Chara left her room in search of food. Preferably chocolate.

 

“Chocolate solves everything.”

 

-    -    -

  
  


Frisk sat on a couch in Muffet’s home, completely still. The dark bags under her eyes showed just how much sleep she had gotten lately. It was hard to tell for most of the monsters, and Chara, since she usually had these dark circles. Hiding her exhaustion was easy. Hiding everything that was wrong was easy. A practiced and honed skill. Muffet was not most monsters. Her keen eye for detail and observation rivaled Frisk’s and the spider monster could immediately tell something was wrong. She did not pry however, despite her curiosity. Being nosy was rude. Especially when the subject was someone you could consider a friend. Possibly your only friend. As usual, Muffet set out some tea and snacks but moved their usual meeting from the kitchen to the living area. The small girl practically melted into the soft sofa and sipped her tea. Muffet hid a smirk as she watched the frankly adorable sight. Maybe a bit of prying would be fine.

 

“How are you, deary? You seem awfully tired.” Muffet took a seat next to Frisk and took her hand.

 

“I’m fine.” Frisk finished off her tea and set the cup on the small table before falling back into the couch.

 

“Really?”

 

“...” The small girl gave the spider monster an exasperated look.

 

Muffet simply raised an eyebrow.

 

“I’m not fine but I’m never fine…” Muffet started a bit at the unexpected forwardness of the reply.

 

“I...uh…” For possibly the first time in her life, Muffet was not sure what to say.

 

“It’s okay. I may be a kid but I know that I’m damaged. Probably beyond fixing.” Frisk opened her eyes. “Everyone likes to tiptoe around it.”

 

Muffet fell back against the couch and just sat in silence next to Frisk.

 

“Well...did you want to talk about it? Whatever is bothering you right now.”

 

“Not really.” Frisk squeezed the spider girls hand. “Just a lot on my mind.”

 

Frisk closed her eyes and tried to relax. She could probably talk to Muffet about this, but not right now. Right now, Frisk just wanted to have a chance to relax. She was fairly sure nothing down here would try to kill her. Even if something happened, she had this new power to deal with it. This was her time to just be...Frisk. No missions. No killing. Just...peace.

 

“I’ll tell you later, Muffet.” Frisk’s breathing slowed. “Right now I just...don’t want to think about anything.”

 

“Alright, deary.” Muffet smiled, taking the small compromise for the minor victory it was.

 

Frisk was asleep almost instantly, the smell of baked goods and tea lulling her into unconsciousness. Muffet gently lowered the girl onto her side before finding a blanket to cover her. Once the small girl was bundled up, Muffet carefully brushed a hand through Frisk’s hair. The spider monster found herself growing fond of the human, as surprising as that was to her. The shared, unspoken understanding forged through mutual respect. The Spider Clan was one with a vast and bloody history, rivaled only by one other clan. Add onto that the secretive, shadowy nature of their service to the royal family, and you had the perfect formula for fear and suspicion. The older monsters, barring those who knew better such as Gerson, maintained a wary distance from her. The younger monsters, ever unknowing and impressionable, took that wariness as a reason to avoid her. That the young spider monster always seemed to know everything that went on might have played a part in her unofficial exile. Muffet huffed as she continued to play with Frisk’s hair.

 

“Ignorance is the greatest source of fear…” The words left her lips as a whisper.

 

It was a saying passed down through the clan leaders before her. Ignorance breeds fear and weakness. Knowledge and wisdom were the greatest weapons one could wield.

 

“The more I know, the better I can prepare, ahuhu~”

 

-    -    -

 

**Are you okay, Frisk?**

 

“ _ No. _ ” Frisk leaned back against Aster, sighing as two arms wrapped around her.

 

**I see.**

 

The two sat in silence amidst their internal world space.

 

“ _ You’re hiding something from me… _ ”

 

Aster jolted a bit, tightening her grip on Frisk.

 

**I...wasn’t sure how you would react to the information.** **I learned quite a bit during the reset and...I was able to...** ** _obtain_** **some, uh...** ** _insurance_** **?**

 

Frisk sat quietly as new information was made available to her. She gently grabbed one of Aster’s hands and squeezed.

 

“ _ Smart. _ ”

 

Aster slowly smiled at the unexpected praise.

 

“ _ Insurance never hurts. _ ” A small frown forms on her face. “ _ But we should probably keep this to ourselves for now. _ ”

 

**Yes. It would definitely cause some issues.** Aster fidgeted nervously.  **Now I feel silly for keeping this from you.**

 

“ _ I...understand why you would not want to tell me this. _ ” Frisk tilted her head a bit in thought. “ _ Given my...with Chara… _ ”

 

Aster raised an eyebrow as Frisk mumbled her way through the last bit of her thought.  **Hmm, are you confused about how you feel for the girl? Or simply not interested?**

 

“ _ It’s...not worth it. _ ”

 

**Frisk…**

 

“ _ You should know better than anyone, Aster....about what I’ve done. _ ”

 

Silence again as Aster pulled Frisk closer, tears falling down the young girl’s face.

 

“ _ I can’t love anyone… _ ” A soft hiccup escaped. “ _ Cuz in the end… _ ”

 

The last bit was a tiny whisper.

  
“ _ In the end I always kill them _ .”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still chugging along, only mildly distracted by dropping one shots for other fanfics that Ive had on my mind. Apologies for the increasingly lengthy amounts of time between updates but it is what it is :Q


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